Method for configuring a radio terminal through a radio communication network, related network and computer program product therefor

• US 20090067367A1
• Filed: 10/28/2004
• Published: 03/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telecom Italia S.p.A.
• Original Assignee: Telecom Italia S.p.A.
• Inventors: Goria, Paolo, Trogolo, Alessandro, Buracchini, Enrico
• Granted Patent: US 9,031,550 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/22 Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/245 from a network towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A method for configuring a re-configurable radio terminal through a communication network operating according to a communication system, wherein the radio terminal is configured for exchanging information with at least one node of the communication network by using the communicating system. The method is characterized by the steps of associating with the one node of the communication network a server entity configured for using a protocol layer of the communication system and including a set of operating software modules for configuring the radio terminal with at least one set of elements of protocol stack suitable to reconfigure the radio terminal; associating with the radio terminal a client entity configured for using a respective protocol layer corresponding to the protocol layer of the server entity, establishing an over-the-air connection between the radio terminal and the server entity by using the protocol layer, and downloading at least one module of the set of operating software modules from the server to the radio terminal configuring at least in part the radio terminal.

Claims

1-29. -29. (canceled)

30. A communication network being operative according to a communications system comprising at least one protocol layer and comprising

at least one re-configurable radio thermal user equipment/mobile station configured for managing exchange of information within said communication network by using said communications system;

and

at least one node configured for managing exchange of information with said re-configurable radio terminal user equipment/mobile station;

said at least one node comprising a server entity configured for using said protocol layer of said communication network and comprising a set of operating software modules configured for implementing at least one set of elements of a protocol stack suitable to configure said radio terminal mobile station,

said radio terminal user equipment/mobile station comprising a client entity configured for using a respective protocol layer corresponding to said protocol layer of said server entity, and

said server and said client being provided with respective over the air software modules able to manage an over-the-air connection between said radio terminal user equipment/mobile station and said node by using said protocol layer in order to download at least one module of said set of operating software modules for configuring at least in part said radio terminal user equipment/mobile station.

31. The network according to claim 30, wherein

said server entity comprises at least one set of modified messages of said protocol layer, and

said client entity comprises at least one further set of modified messages of said standardised protocol layer, and wherein

said set of modified messages associated respectively with said server entity and with said client entity are configured for managing said over-the-air connection.

32. The network according to claim 30, comprising:

a radio access network and a core network; and

wherein

said protocol layer is a protocol layer of said core network.

33. The network according to claim 30, comprising

a radio access network and a core network;

and wherein

said protocol layer is a protocol layer of said radio access network.

34. The network according to claim 33, wherein

said radio access network comprises a radio controller and wherein said protocol layer is a protocol layer of said radio controller.

35. The network according to claim 32, wherein said radio access network is operative in accordance with a second generation network.

36. The network according to claim 32, wherein said radio access network is operative in accordance with a third generation network.

37. The network according to claim 30, wherein said over-the-air connection is established through a universal channel of said communication network.

38. The network according to claim 30, wherein said over-the-air connection is established through a radio channel of said communication network.

39. The network according to claim 30, wherein said communications system is configured for managing priorities between a voice call, a data transmission and the download of said at least one module of said operating software modules.

40. The network according to claim 30, wherein said the over-the-air software modules are configured for downloading said at least one module of said operating software modules during a voice call.

41. The network according to claim 30, wherein said set of operating software modules are suitable for reconfiguring at least in part said radio terminal mobile station with a further communication system.

42. The network according to claim 41, wherein

said radio terminal mobile station comprises a protocol stack layer for carrying out at least measurements on said further communication system.

43. A method for configuring at least one re-configurable radio terminal belonging to a communication network being operative according to a communications system comprising at least one protocol layer, wherein said radio terminal is configured for exchanging information with at least one node of said communication network by using said communication system comprising the steps of:

associating with said at least one node of said communication network a server entity configured for using said protocol layer and comprising a set of operating software modules for configuring said radio terminal user equipment/mobile station with at least one set of elements of a protocol stack suitable to reconfigure said radio terminal mobile station;

associating with said radio terminal mobile station a client entity configured for using a respective protocol layer corresponding to said protocol layer of said server entity;

establishing an over-the-air connection between said radio terminal user equipment/mobile station and said server by using said protocol layer; and

downloading at least one module of said set of operating software modules from said server to said radio terminal user equipment/mobile station for configuring at least in part said radio terminal user equipment/mobile station.

44. The method according to claim 43, wherein said establishing an over-the-air connection comprises a set of protocol steps comprising for each of said protocol steps exchanging of modified protocol messages of said protocol layer.

45. The method according to claim 44, wherein said exchanging modified protocol messages comprises exchanging messages comprising, respectively,

a set of the following fields:

a first field identifying the type of the message,

a second field identifying the radio terminal mobile station to which the message refers; and

a third field containing data information.

46. The method according to claim 44, wherein said set of protocol steps comprises at least one of the following steps:

a) performing a request for downloading said at least one operating software module;

b) mutually authenticating said client and said server;

c) checking the capability of said radio terminal user equipment/mobile station of accepting said at least one operating software module downloadable from said server;

d) providing information concerning the download options;

e) segmenting said at least one operating software module into blocks;

f) transmitting said blocks from said server to said at least one radio terminal user equipment/mobile station;

g) reassembling said blocks for reconstituting said at least one module with one set of elements of a protocol stack and testing said set of elements; and

h) installing said set of elements into said radio terminal user equipment/mobile station.

47. The method according to claim 46, wherein said set of protocol steps comprises a step of:

monitoring the structure of said blocks downloaded to said radio terminal user equipment/mobile station.

48. The method according to claim 46, wherein said set of protocol steps comprises a step of:

managing a set of timers limiting the time allowed for performing the over-the-air connection.

49. The method according to claim 46, wherein said set of protocol steps comprises a step of:

allocating for each protocol step at least a pair of timers, a first timer for monitoring the protocol steps performed by said radio terminal user equipment/mobile station and a second timer for monitoring the protocol steps performed by said server,

each of said timers being started when one protocol step is started and being stopped when said one protocol step has been performed.

50. The method according to claim 46, wherein said mutual authentication step is based on a “

challenge-response”

method.

51. The method according to claim 46, wherein, in said step of segmenting said at least one module into blocks, comprises the step of segmenting into blocks having a size of 1 to 2 kBytes and wherein the step of transmitting said blocks comprises managing a window protocol wherein a window size matches with the size of the blocks into which said at least one operating software module has been segmented.

52. The method according to claim 46, wherein, before installing said set of elements into said radio terminal, a license is required.

53. The method according to claim 43, wherein said at least one operating software module, before being downloaded to said radio terminal user equipment/mobile station, is encrypted with a key.

54. The method according to claim 43, comprising the further step of storing at least two sets of operating software modules into said re-configurable radio terminal user equipment/mobile station.

55. The method according to claim 43, wherein said step of downloading said at least one module of said set comprises the step of:

downloading a set of operating software modules suitable for configuring at least in part said radio terminal mobile station with a further communication system.

56. A re-configurable radio terminal user equipment/mobile station configurable by carrying out the method as claimed in claim 43.

57. A network node comprising a server entity for configuring a re-configurable radio terminal user equipment/mobile station by carrying out the method as claimed in claim 43.

58. A computer program product or computer program set of computer program products loadable in the memory of at least one computer and comprising software code portions capable of performing the steps of claim 43.