Configuration method and system

• US 20040153548A1
• Filed: 10/21/2003
• Published: 08/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Koskela, Marko, Latvakoski, Juhani
• Granted Patent: US 7,702,760 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/228
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/082 the condition being updates or upgrades of network functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0886 Fully automatic configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4541 Directories for service discovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5014 using dynamic host configuration protocol [DHCP] or bootstrap protocol [BOOTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5084 Providing for device mobility network addressing or numbering for mobility support in wireless networks H04W8/26; mobile IP H04W80/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support

Abstract

The present invention relates to a configuration method and system for providing a configuration parameter, such as a server, gateway or proxy server address(es), to a terminal device. A trigger control information defining trigger events and/or conditions is loaded to the terminal device (11, 21) and a discovery procedure for obtaining the configuration parameter(s) is initiated when at least one of the trigger events and/or conditions is detected. Thereby, a user-friendly automatic configuration of services or server addresses can be provided to a moving mobile terminal.

Claims

1. A method for providing a configuration parameter of a data source to a terminal device (11, 21), said method comprising the steps of:

a) loading a trigger control information into said terminal device (11, 21), said trigger control information defining trigger events and/or conditions; and

b) initiating a discovery procedure for obtaining said configuration parameter when at least one of said trigger events and/or conditions is detected.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said terminal device is a mobile terminal (11, 21) and said data source is a server for providing a service to said mobile terminal (11, 21).

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein said configuration parameter is an address of a server, a gateway or a proxy server.

4. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said discovery procedure is an address discovery procedure according to a DHCP, DNS protocol or SLP protocol or some other discovery protocol.

5. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said loading step is performed by inserting an SIM or USIM card (101) into said terminal device (11, 21).

6. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said loading step is performed by an updating procedure using an SIM application.

7. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said trigger control information is stored in a volatile memory of said terminal device (11, 21).

8. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising broadcasting said trigger control information in a system information message transmitted from a network (30) of said data source to said terminal device (11, 21).

9. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said trigger control information is delivered to said terminal device (11, 21) when said terminal device (11, 21) registers to the network (30).

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein said trigger control information is delivered in a dedicated manner into said terminal device together with server addresses according to a user profile or a part of it using any signalling protocol, such as DHCP, SM, SLP or SIP.

11. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said trigger control information is provided for said terminal device (11, 21) by a network (30) to which said terminal device (11, 21) is connected, said trigger control information is interpreted by that terminal device (11, 21), and the defined service configuration triggers are stored in said terminal device (11, 21).

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein said discovery procedure comprises a request for new server addresses from said network (30), and said new server addresses are delivered to said terminal device (11, 21) by a service configuration response message.

13. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said trigger events and/or conditions comprise at least one of a cell update, a routing area update, a location area update, a change in the IP network point of attachment, a localized service area change, a defined geographical area change a location of all mobiles in geographical area change, a roaming, and a movement outside a predefined geographical area.

14. A system for providing a configuration parameter of a data source to a terminal device (11, 21), wherein a network (30) to which the terminal device (11, 21) is connected is arranged to load a trigger control information defining trigger events and/or conditions into said terminal device (11, 21), and wherein said terminal device (11, 21) is arranged to initiate a discovery procedure for obtaining said configuration parameter when at least one of said trigger events and/or conditions is detected.

15. A system according to claim 14, wherein said terminal device is a mobile terminal (11, 21) and said data source is a server for providing a service to said mobile terminal (11, 21).

16. A system according to claim 14 or 15, wherein said configuration parameter is an address of a server, a gateway or a proxy server.

17. A system according to any one of claims 14 to 16, wherein said trigger control information is stored in an SIM or USIM card (101) or a volatile memory of said terminal device (11, 21).

18. A system according to any one of claims 14 to 17, wherein said network (30) is arranged to load said trigger control information into said terminal device (11, 21) by an updating procedure using an SIM application.

19. A system according to any one of claims 14 to 18, wherein said network (30) is arranged to broadcast said trigger control information in a system information message.

20. A system according to any one of claims 14 to 19, wherein said network (30) is arranged to deliver said trigger control information to said terminal device (11, 21) when said terminal device (11, 21) registers to said network (30).

21. A terminal device for a cellular network (30), comprising:

a) storing means (101) for storing a trigger control information defining trigger events and/or conditions; and

b) trigger means (111) for initiating a discovery procedure for obtaining a configuration parameter when at least one of said trigger events and/or conditions is detected.

22. A terminal device according to claim 22, wherein said storing means is a USIM or SIM card (101) or a volatile memory.

23. A terminal device according to claim 22 or 23, further comprising updating means (112) for updating said stored trigger control information in response to a new trigger control information received from said cellular network (30) in a broadcast system control information, or together with server addresses in a network registration procedure.