Method and system for the automatic configuration of an appliance in a communications network

• US 20050141438A1
• Filed: 10/22/2004
• Published: 06/30/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thales DIS France SAS (Thales SA)
• Original Assignee: Gemplus (Thales SA)
• Inventors: Quetglas, Stephane, Dumay, Philippe
• Granted Patent: US 8,532,705 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/254
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/245 from a network towards a terminal

Abstract

A method for automatically establishing a configuration of a communication appliance functioning with a subscriber identification card in a communication network. The configuration of the appliance is established via the network, following the detection and communication of its identifier over the network by means of the card. The method includes a preliminary step in which a configuration requirement is detected by means of events or absence of an event stored in the card.

Claims

1. A method for automatically establishing a configuration of a communication appliance functioning with a subscriber identification card in a wireless communications network, in which the configuration of the appliance is established via the network, following the detection and communication of its identifier over the network by means of the card, including the step that is carried out prior to configuration of detecting a configuration requirement by means of events or the absence of an event stored in the card.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of detecting a configuration requirement comprises at least one test step of determining that at least one of the following conditions is fulfilled:

a) the appliance has already been identified by the card,

b) the appliance is already configured,

c) a maximum number of configuration actions with the user have been reached.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein test step b) comprises determining whether the appliance has already been configured in relation to a given context.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein said context comprises an indication of the network which has already been used and/or of the geographical place in which the appliance was situated and/or the type of network technology and/or the operator of the network.

5. A method according to claim 1 further including the preliminary step of listing in a memory area each identifier of an appliance with which the card has been put in relationship as well as events related to the configuration of each appliance from amongst a group of following events:

appliance configured or not,

number of configuration actions,

configuration context.

6. A method according to claim 2, wherein the events are stored in the card and the test is carried out in the card.

7. A wireless communication network system for communication appliances, comprising:

a server for the automatic configuration of the appliances via the network;

at least one memory area listing an identifier for appliances with which a card has been put in relationship as well as events and/or criteria related to the configuration of each appliance; and

at least one application able to read said events and to detect a configuration requirement according to the presence or absence of events and/or listed criteria.

8. A subscriber identification card able to cooperate with a mobile communication appliance in order to enable a communication service in a communication network, comprising an application able to list events relating to a configuration of each appliance with which it is put in relationship and to detect a configuration requirement for the appliance according to these events or absence of events stored by the application.

9. A subscriber identification card according to claim 8, further including a memory area comprising a list of identifiers for appliances with which the card has been put in relationship as well as a list of corresponding events from amongst a group of following events:

appliance configured or not,

configuration context,

number of configuration actions.

10. A subscriber identification card according to claim 8, wherein the configuration requirement is detected according to indications relating to the type of network technology, and/or network operator.