Network for customer care and distribution of firmware and software updates

• US 20060217111A1
• Filed: 02/13/2006
• Published: 09/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Brunet, Jeffrey, Marolia, Sunil
• Application Number:
  US11/352,702
• Publication Number:
  US 20060217111A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/418
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/206 composed of PSTN and wireless network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42178 by downloading data to substation equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/245 from a network towards a terminal

Abstract

A network for customer care and distribution of update packages to electronic devices makes it possible to efficiently manage and update firmware and software in devices. A provisioning server in the network employs provisioning means to update configuration, provision devices and manage devices. An electronic device capable of receiving these update packages comprises a update client that is capable of updating the device.

Claims

1. A method of providing customer care for a subscriber of a wireless communication network, the method comprising:

receiving a customer care request from the subscriber via a data communication network;

requesting, via the wireless communication network using a first data communication protocol, device profile information from a mobile device associated with the subscriber;

receiving the device profile information from the mobile device, using a second data communication protocol;

analyzing the device profile information; and

automatically updating the mobile device based upon the analysis and subscriber information.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the communication network comprises a public wireless network.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the public wireless network comprises a cellular network.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the data communication network comprises a public network.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the data communication network comprises the Internet.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the device profile information comprises mobile device parameters enabling service in the wireless communication network.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the device profile information comprises information representative of at least one of the following:

memory usage, a battery status, and operating parameters of an active wireless link.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first data communication protocol comprises a short message service (SMS) protocol.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the second data communication protocol comprises a hypertext transport protocol (HTTP).

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the analysis employs a set of rules to determine the updates to the device profile information.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the updating transforms, in memory of the mobile device, portions of an existing code version to produce an updated code version.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the memory comprises non-volatile memory.

13. The method according to claim 11 wherein the conversion employs updating information received wirelessly by the mobile device, the updating information comprising a set of instructions executable by the mobile device to convert the existing code version to the updated code version.

14. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

notifying the subscriber of results of the customer care request, via the data communication network.

15. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

storing a record of the subscriber request.

16. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first and second data communication protocols are the same protocol.

17. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first and second data communication protocols are compliant with an Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) device management (DM) protocol.

18. A communication device comprising:

at least one memory comprising device profile information and an existing version of executable operating code for the communication device;

a first code portion resident in the at least one memory, the first code portion for processing a request for device profile information, the request from at least one remote server received wirelessly from a wireless communication network using a first data communication protocol;

a second code portion resident in the at least one memory, the second code portion for wirelessly transmitting to the at least one remote server the requested device profile information using a second communication protocol; and

wherein at least a portion of the device profile information in the communication device is updated following analysis of the device profile information at the at least one remote server.

19. The device according to claim 18, wherein device profile information comprises at least one of the following:

communication parameters enabling service in the wireless communication network, application configuration settings, and device capabilities.

20. The device according to claim 18, wherein the first data communication protocol comprises a short message service (SMS) protocol.

21. The device according to claim 18, wherein the second data communication protocol comprises a hypertext transport protocol (HTTP).

22. The device according to claim 18, wherein the at least one remote server originates the request based upon a subscriber request.

23. A customer care system comprising:

at least one server for receiving, via a data communication network, a request from a subscriber of a wireless communication network;

profiler code resident on the at least one server, the profiler code functioning to cause retrieval of device profile information from a wireless mobile device associated with the subscriber;

analysis code resident on the at least one server for analyzing the retrieved device profile information; and

device management code resident on the at least one server, the device management code causing automatic updating of the wireless mobile device based upon the analysis.

24. The system according to claim 23, wherein the data communication network comprises a packet network.

25. The system according to claim 23, wherein the packet network comprises the Internet.

26. The system according to claim 23 wherein the wireless communication network comprises one of the following:

a cellular network and a paging network.

27. The system according to claim 23, wherein the wireless mobile device comprises one of the following:

a cellular phone, a pager, and a personal digital assistant.

28. The system according to claim 23, wherein the profiler employs a short message service (SMS) protocol to request device profile information from the wireless mobile device.

29. The system according to claim 23, wherein the device management code communicates with the wireless mobile device using an Open Mobile Alliance compliant device management protocol.

30. The system according to claim 23, wherein the subscriber is notified of the results of the analysis via the data communication network.

31. The system according to claim 23, wherein device profile information comprises mobile device parameters enabling service in the wireless communication network.

32. The system according to claim 23, wherein the device profile information comprises information representative of at least one of the following:

memory usage, a battery status, and operating parameters of an active wireless link.