System and Method of Software Transfer Between a Mobile Phone and a Mobile Phone Accessory

• US 20050014531A1
• Filed: 07/17/2003
• Published: 01/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Findikli, Nadi S.
• Granted Patent: US 7,305,254 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/557
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/445 Program loading or initiating bootstrapping G06F9/4401; security arrangements for program loading or initiating G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72406 by software upgrading or downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72409 by interfacing with external accessories hands-free H04M1/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/108 Source integrity

Abstract

A system and method of operating a mobile phone accessory communicable with a mobile phone. The present invention dynamically loads software into a mobile phone from a mobile phone accessory to enable better management of the accessory'"'"'s resources and capabilities. After a communication link is established between the mobile phone and mobile phone accessory, both devices exchange information to determine the appropriate software to transfer. A verification process then ensures that the mobile phone and mobile phone accessory are authorized to receive and transfer software, respectively. Subsequently, software is transferred from the mobile phone accessory to be stored in the mobile phone. The mobile phone is capable of executing the downloaded software. Specifically, the mobile phone contains the necessary API(s) and processor hardware needed to run a variety of software.

Claims

1. A method of operating a mobile phone accessory communicable with a mobile phone, the method comprising:

(a) establishing a communication link between the mobile phone and the mobile phone accessory;

(b) exchanging data between the mobile phone and the mobile phone accessory, the data pertaining to software resident on the mobile phone accessory and the ability of the mobile phone to download and execute the software, wherein the data is used to determine what software to transfer from the mobile phone accessory to the mobile phone; and

(c)transferring the software from the mobile phone accessory to the mobile

phone via the communication link.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein exchanging data between the mobile phone and the mobile phone accessory further comprises:

ensuring that the mobile phone is capable of receiving software through the communication link; and

ensuring that the mobile phone accessory is capable of transferring software through the communication link.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

verifying that the mobile phone accessory is authorized to transfer the software to the mobile phone; and

verifying that the mobile phone is authorized to receive the software from the mobile phone accessory.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising verifying that the transferred software is licensed for use by the mobile phone.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising verifying that the transferred software is certified to be used on the mobile phone.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising verifying that the transferred software has not been tampered with since its creation.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the software is encrypted before the transferring step.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the communication link is a wireless RF link.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the communication link is a cabled link.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the communication link is an optical link.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the software is a java script.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the software is an HTML script.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the software is a XML script.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the software is a native application specific to the mobile phone.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the software is a C++ script.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the software is a BREW script.

17. A system for operating a mobile phone accessory communicable with a mobile phone, the system comprising:

a physical communication layer in the mobile phone and the mobile phone accessory for providing a communication link between the mobile phone and the mobile phone accessory;

an accessory interaction handler within the mobile phone for;

exchanging data with the mobile phone accessory, the data pertaining to software resident on the mobile phone accessory and the ability of the mobile phone to execute the software, wherein the data is used to determine what software to transfer from the mobile phone accessory to the mobile phone; and

receiving the software from the mobile phone accessory via the physical communication layer; and

a phone interaction handler within the mobile phone accessory for;

exchanging the data with the mobile phone; and

transferring the software to the mobile phone via the physical communication layer.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the accessory interaction handler verifies that the mobile phone accessory is capable of transferring software to the mobile phone.

19. The system of claim 17 wherein the phone interaction handler verifies that the mobile phone is capable of receiving software from the mobile phone accessory.

20. The system of claim 17 wherein the accessory interaction handler further verifies that the mobile phone accessory is authorized to transfer the software to the mobile phone.

21. The system of claim 17 wherein the phone interaction handler further verifies the mobile phone is authorized to receive the software from the mobile phone accessory.

22. The system of claim 17 wherein the accessory interaction handler further verifies that the transferred software is licensed for use by the mobile phone.

23. The system of claim 17 wherein the accessory interaction handler further verifies that the transferred software is certified to be used on the mobile phone.

24. The system of claim 17 wherein the accessory interaction handler further verifies that the transferred software has not been tampered with since its creation.

25. The system of claim 17 wherein the mobile phone further comprises memory for storing the software.

26. The system of claim 17 wherein the mobile phone further comprises at least one application program interface (API) coupled with a processor for executing the transferred software.

27. The system of claim 17 wherein the mobile phone accessory further comprises memory for storing a plurality of software programs.

28. The system of claim 17 wherein the mobile phone accessory chooses a software program to transfer to the mobile phone based on the characteristics and capabilities of the mobile phone.

29. A mobile phone operable with a mobile phone accessory, the mobile phone comprising:

a physical communication layer for providing a communication link between the mobile phone and the mobile phone accessory;

an accessory interaction handler for;

exchanging data with the mobile phone accessory, the data pertaining to software resident on the mobile phone accessory and the ability of the mobile phone to execute the software, wherein the data is used to determine what software to transfer from the mobile phone accessory to the mobile phone; and

receiving the software from the mobile phone accessory via the physical communication layer.

30. The mobile phone of claim 29 wherein the accessory interaction handler verifies that the mobile phone accessory is capable of transferring software to the mobile phone.

31. The mobile phone of claim 29 wherein the accessory interaction handler further verifies that the mobile phone accessory is authorized to transfer the software to the mobile phone.

32. The mobile phone of claim 29 wherein the accessory interaction handler further verifies that software transferred to the mobile phone is licensed for use by the mobile phone.

33. The mobile phone of claim 29 wherein the accessory interaction handler further verifies that the transferred software is certified to be used on the mobile phone.

34. The mobile phone of claim 29 wherein the accessory interaction handler further verifies that the transferred software has not been tampered with since its creation.

35. The mobile phone of claim 29 wherein the mobile phone further comprises memory for storing the transferred software.

36. The system of claim 29 wherein the mobile phone further comprises at least one application program interface (API) coupled with a processor for executing the software.

37. A mobile phone accessory operable with a mobile phone, the mobile phone accessory comprising:

a physical communication layer for providing a communication link between the mobile phone and the mobile phone accessory;

a phone interaction handler for;

exchanging data with the mobile phone accessory, the data pertaining to software resident on the mobile phone accessory and the ability of the mobile phone to execute the software, wherein the data is used to determine what software to transfer from the mobile phone accessory to the mobile phone; and

transferring the software to the mobile phone via the physical communication layer.

38. The mobile phone accessory of claim 37 wherein the phone interaction handler verifies that the mobile phone is capable of receiving software from the mobile phone accessory.

39. The mobile phone accessory of claim 37 wherein the phone interaction handler further verifies that the mobile phone is authorized to receive the software from the mobile phone accessory.

40. The mobile phone accessory of claim 37 further comprising memory for storing a plurality of software programs.

41. The mobile phone accessory of claim 37 wherein the mobile phone accessory chooses a software program to transfer to the mobile phone based on the characteristics and capabilities of the mobile phone.

42. A system for operating a mobile phone accessory communicable with a mobile phone, the system comprising:

means for establishing a communication link between the mobile phone and the mobile phone accessory;

means for exchanging data between the mobile phone and the mobile phone accessory, the data pertaining to software resident on the mobile phone accessory and the ability of the mobile phone to execute the software, wherein the data is used to determine what software to transfer from the mobile phone accessory to the mobile phone; and

means for transferring the software from the mobile phone accessory to the mobile phone via the communication link.

43. The system of claim 42 wherein the means for exchanging data between the mobile phone and the mobile phone accessory further comprises:

means for ensuring that the mobile phone is capable of receiving software through the communication link; and

means for ensuring that the mobile phone accessory is capable of transferring software through the communication link.

44. The system of claim 42 wherein the system further comprises:

means for verifying that the mobile phone accessory is authorized to transfer the software to the mobile phone; and

means for verifying that the mobile phone is authorized to receive the software from the mobile phone accessory.

45. The system of claim 42 wherein the system further comprises means for verifying that the transferred software is licensed for use by the mobile phone.

46. The system of claim 42 wherein the system further comprises means for verifying that the transferred software is certified by the mobile phone manufacturer or its authorized agent to be used on the mobile phone.

47. The system of claim 42 wherein the system further comprises means for verifying that the transferred software has not been tampered with since its creation.

48. The system of claim 42 wherein the means for transferring the software further comprises means for encrypting the software before transferring.

49. The system of claim 42 wherein the system further comprises means for choosing one of a plurality of software programs stored in the mobile phone accessory to transfer to the mobile phone based on the characteristics and capabilities of the mobile phone.

50. The system of claim 42 wherein the communication link is a wireless RF link.

51. The system of claim 42 wherein the communication link is a cabled link.

52. The system of claim 42 wherein the communication link is an optical link.

53. The system of claim 42 wherein the software is a java script.

54. The system of claim 42 wherein the software is an HTML script.

55. The system of claim 42 wherein the software is a XML script.

56. The system of claim 42 wherein the software is a native application specific to the mobile phone.

57. The system of claim 42 wherein the software is a C++ script.

58. The system of claim 42 wherein the software is a BREW script.