Radiotelephone system

• US 20040142684A1
• Filed: 03/18/2004
• Published: 07/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Ratert, Matthias, Hiltunen, Miska Jyri Juhana
• Granted Patent: US 7,603,107 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/420
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/0471 Key exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/43 using shared identity modules, e.g. SIM sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/205 Transfer to or from user equipment or user record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/18 between terminal devices

Abstract

In a typical radiotelephone system, such as GSM, each radiotelephone or cellular device requires a subscriber identification module (SIM) in order to communicate with a telecommunications network. Generally the SIMs are removable from a radiotelephone and may placed in another radiotelephone, which thereby connects to the network using information contained in the SIM. This, however, can prove extremely inconvenient for the user having two or more radiotelephones. One way around this problem is for the user to have just one SIM, and to physically transfer the SIM to whichever radiotelephone is currently in use. This, however, is cumbersome since first the power must be switched off, the SIM must be removed, the SIM inserted into the new device, the new device must be powered on, and finally the new device must go through the initialisation and network authorisation phases. During this time no calls can be made or received This process is further hindered by the fact that in many radiotelephones the SIM is located behind the battery, so that the additional steps of removing and replacing the battery must be performed. Accordingly, one aim of the present invention is to overcome the above-mentioned problems.

Claims

1. A communication system comprising first and second communication devices capable of communicating with a telecommunications network, the first communication device comprising identification information, the second communication device being capable of remotely acquiring at least some of the identification information of the first communication device,

wherein the second communication device is further capable of acquiring connection parameters from the first communication device and applying the acquired parameters to effect a connection to the network.

2. A communications system according to claim 1, wherein the connection parameters provide information relating to the connection of the first communications device to the telecommunications network.

3. A communications system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the second communications device further comprises a memory for storing the acquired connection parameters.

4. A communications system according to claim 1, 2, or 3, wherein the communication parameters include information relating to any of:

the strongest radio channel;

available frequency bands; and

radio channels in use.

5. The communications system of any previous claim, wherein the identification information is contained in a subscriber identification module (SIM).

6. The communications system of any of claims 1 to 4, wherein the identification information is contained in a number assignment module (NAM).

7. The communications system of any previous claim, wherein the first communications device is adapted for, prior to the second communications device acquiring information from the first communications device, sending a hold request to the network.

8. The communications system of claim 7, wherein the first radiotelephone is adapted for receiving a hold request acknowledgement from the network.

9. The communications system of claim 8, wherein the second radiotelephone is adapted for acquiring the hold request acknowledgement.

10. The communications system of claim 9, wherein the second radiotelephone is adapted to transmit the acquired hold request to the network, thereby effecting a connection to the network.

11. A communications system according to any previous claim wherein the communication devices are radiotelephones.

12. The communications system of any of claims 1 to 11, adapted for use with a system in accordance with the global system for mobile communications (GSM) standard.

13. The communications system of any of claims 1 to 11, adapted for use with a system in accordance with the general radio packet services (GPRS) standard.

14. The communications system of any previous claim, wherein the acquisition of the parameters is effected over a low power radio frequency connection.

15. The communication system of any previous claim, wherein the acquisition of the parameters is effect over a Bluetooth connection.

16. A radiotelephone for use with the communications system of any previous claims.

17. A method of connecting a first communication device to a network using information contained in a second communication device already connected to the network, comprising:

acquiring, at the first communication device at least some of the information contained in the second communication device;

further acquiring, at the first communication device, connection parameters stored in the second communication device;

using the acquired parameters to connect the first communication device to the network.

18. A method according to claim 17, wherein the connection parameters provide information relating to the connection of the second communications device to the telecommunications network.

19. A method according to claim 17 or 18, further comprising storing the acquired connection parameters at the first communication device.

20. A method according to claim 17, 18 or 19, wherein the communication parameters include information relating to any of:

the strongest radio channel;

available frequency bands; and

radio channels in use.

21. A method according to claim 17, 18, 19, or 20 further comprising sending, from the second communication device a hold request to the network.

22. A method according to claim 21, further comprising receiving, at the second communications device, a hold request acknowledgement from the network.

23. A method according to claim 22, further comprising acquiring, at the first communications device, the hold request acknowledgement.

24. A method according to claim 23, further comprising transmitting, from the first communications device, the acquired hold request acknowledgement to the network, thereby effect a connection to the network.

25. A method according to any of claims 17 to 24 for use in accordance with the global system for mobile communications (GSM) standard.

26. A method according to any of claims 17 to 24 for use in accordance with the general radio packet service (GPRS) standard.

27. A communications system substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to accompanying FIGS. 2, 2A and 3.

28. A radiotelephone for use with a communication system substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to accompanying FIGS. 2, 2A and 3.

29. A method of connecting a first communication device to a network using information contained in a second communication device already connected to the network substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to accompanying FIGS. 2, 2A and 3.