Method and System for User Equipment Configuration

• US 20090327398A1
• Filed: 05/15/2007
• Published: 12/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Truphone Limited
• Original Assignee: Truphone Limited
• Inventors: Rantala, Jukka, Pientarinen, Seppo, Hyväjoa, Timo, Bradley, Oliver James, Syrjänen, Tuomas, Vehkamäki, Sampsa, Gibson, Christopher Hugh, Miller, Gavin Ronald Paul, Campbell, Alistair James
• Granted Patent: US 10,110,416 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/202
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2220/01 indicating an entity as a function of which control, adjustment or change is performed, i.e. input
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2220/02 indicating an entity which is controlled, adjusted or changed by a control process, i.e. output
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2220/03 indicating an entity which is measured, estimated, evaluated, calculated or determined but which does not constitute an entity which is adjusted or changed by the control process per se
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2301/4148 slitting
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2301/41487 trimming edge
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2511/12 Width
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0226 Mapping or translating multiple network management protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0266 using meta-data, objects or commands for formatting management information, e.g. using eXtensible markup language [XML]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/028 for synchronisation between service call and response
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0843 based on generic templates
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/28 Restricting access to network management systems or functions, e.g. using authorisation function to access network configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/289 Intermediate processing functionally located close to the data consumer application, e.g. in same machine, in same home or in same sub-network
• 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: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/245 from a network towards a terminal

Abstract

A method of managing configuration of user equipment that has a configuration database modifiable with configuration data in a first format, and a communications unit for receiving configuration data in a second format is described. The method comprises storing a user agent at the user equipment; providing received configuration data in the second format to the user agent; using the user agent to transform the configuration data into the first format in the user equipment; and modifying the configuration database with the configuration data in the first format.

Claims

1. A method of managing configuration of user equipment, comprising a configuration database modifiable with configuration data input in a first format, and a communications unit for receiving configuration data in a second format, the method comprising:

storing a user agent at the user equipment;

providing received configuration data in the second format to the user agent;

using the user agent to transform the configuration data into the first format in the user equipment; and

modifying the configuration database with the configuration data in the first format.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the user equipment comprises an inbox from which the configuration database receives configuration data in the first format and the method further comprises inputting the configuration data transformed into the first format into the inbox.

3. A method according to claim 1, further comprising seeking authorisation of the configuration operation from the user of the user equipment and receiving a response, wherein the modifying step occurs only if the response confirms user authorisation of the configuration operation.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein the step of seeking authorisation comprises providing a plurality of configuration options to the user and receiving a user response selecting one of the configuration options.

5. A method according to claim 3, wherein the step of seeking authorisation comprises providing a configuration option comprising at least one editable parameter, and the receiving step comprises receiving a response indicating at least one edited parameter.

6. A method according to claim 1, further comprising generating a reconfiguration result message and transmitting the same to the source of the configuration message via the communications unit.

7. A method according to claim 1, further comprising deleting the user agent after the using step.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein the user agent comprises a generic user agent and the method further comprises reusing the user agent for transforming subsequent configuration messages.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein the communications unit comprises a radio communications unit for receiving the configuration data in the second format.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein the communications unit comprises a local radio communications unit for receiving the configuration data in the second format.

11. A method according to claim 10, further comprising receiving the user agent and the configuration together in a local configuration package message.

12. A method according to claim 10, further comprising:

delivering the configuration data to a network node; and

transferring the configuration data from the network node to the user equipment over a local communication interface between the network node and the user equipment.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein the delivering step comprises delivering configuration data to the network node in the second format.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein the second format corresponds to the format of a WAP binary encoded XML document (WBXML).

15. A method as claimed in claim 12, further comprising:

monitoring the database modification procedure in the user equipment; and

generating a report on the success or failure of the database modification procedure to the network node.

16. A communication system comprising a provisioning system, user equipment, and a network infrastructure for connecting the provisioning system with the user equipment, wherein:

the provisioning system comprises means for delivering configuration data to the user equipment; and

the user equipment comprises;

a configuration database modifiable with configuration data in a first format,

a communications unit for receiving configuration data from the provisioning server in a second format,

a user agent configured to transform the received configuration data into the first format; and

a configuration manager for modifying the configuration database with the transformed configuration data.

17. A communication system according to claim 16, wherein the provisioning system is configured to deliver configuration data to a local network node in the network infrastructure, the local network node comprising means for providing the user equipment with a user agent capable of transforming configuration data to the first format, and means for exchanging configuration data with the user equipment.

18. A communication system according to claim 17, wherein:

the network node is configured to deliver configuration data to the user agent as application data in the second format; and

the user agent comprises a transformation algorithm for transforming data from the second format to the first format.

19. A communication system according to claim 18, wherein the second format corresponds to the format of a WAP binary encoded XML document (WBXML).

20. A communication system as claimed claim 17, wherein the user agent is configured to monitor a configurations database modification procedure carried out by the configuration manager in the user equipment;

and to generate a report on the success or failure of the database modification procedure to the network node.

21. A provisioning server for use with a communication system comprising user equipment, and a network infrastructure for connecting the provisioning system with the user equipment, wherein the user equipment is provisioned to a service of the communication through a configuration database modifiable with configuration data in a first format, the provisioning server comprising:

a signal processing unit for generating configuration data for one or more user equipment;

a communications unit for transferring generated configuration data for one or more user equipment over the network infrastructure as application data in a second format.

22. A provisioning server according to claim 21, further comprising:

a network unit for transferring the generated configuration data of at least one user equipment over the network infrastructure to a local network node of the user equipment in the second format.

23. A provisioning server according to claim 22, wherein the second format corresponds to the format of a WAP binary encoded XML document (WBXML).

24. A network node for a communication system comprising user equipment, and a network infrastructure, wherein the user equipment is provisioned to a service of the communication through a configuration database modifiable with configuration data in a first format, the network node comprising:

a network unit for receiving configuration data for the user equipment from a provisioning server;

a signal processing unit for providing the user equipment with a user agent capable of transforming configuration data into the first format; and

a local communication unit for transferring the user agent and configuration data to the user equipment.

25. A network node according to claim 24, wherein the network node is configured to receive configuration data from the provisioning server in a second format;

and the user agent comprises a transformation algorithm for transforming data from the second format to the first format

26. A network node according to claim 25, wherein the second format corresponds to the format of a WAP binary encoded XML document (WBXML).

27. A network node as claimed in claim 24, wherein the user agent is configured to monitor the configuration database modification procedure in the user equipment;

and to generate a report on the success or failure of the database modification procedure to the network node.

28. User equipment for a communication system, the user equipment comprising:

a configuration database modifiable with configuration data in a first format;

a communications unit for receiving configuration data in a second format;

a user agent configured to transform received configuration data into the first format;

a configuration manager for modifying the configuration database with the transformed configuration data.

29. User equipment according to claim 28, further comprising a local communication unit for receiving from a local network node the user agent and/or the configuration data.

30. User equipment according to claim 29, wherein the second format corresponds to the format of a WAP binary encoded XML document (WBXML).

31. A user equipment as claimed in claim 29, wherein the user agent is configured to monitor the configuration database modification procedure in the user equipment;

and to generate a report on the success or failure of the database modification procedure to the network node.

32. A computer program product encoding a computer process of instructions for executing a computer process for a method of managing configuration of user equipment, comprising a configuration database modifiable with configuration data in a first format, and communications unit for receiving configuration data in a second format, the process including:

storing a user agent at the user equipment;

inputting received configuration data in the second format to the user agent;

using the user agent to transform the received configuration data into the first format in the user equipment; and

modifying the configuration database with the configuration data in the first format.

33. A computer program distribution medium readable by a computer and encoding a computer program of instructions for a method of managing configuration of user equipment, comprising a configuration database modifiable with configuration data in a first format, and a communications unit for receiving configuration data in a second format, the process including:

storing a user agent at the user equipment;

inputting received configuration data in the second format to the user agent;

using the user agent to transform the received configuration data into the first format in the user equipment; and

modifying the configuration database with the configuration data in the first format.

34. The computer program distribution medium of claim 33, wherein the distribution medium comprises a computer readable medium, a program storage medium, a record medium, a computer readable memory, a computer readable software distribution package, a computer readable signal, a computer readable telecommunications signal, or a computer readable compressed software package.

35-76. -76. (canceled)

77. A provisioning server for a communication system comprising user equipment, and a network infrastructure, and the user equipment is provisioned to a service of the communication system through a configuration database modifiable with configuration data in a first format, the provisioning server comprising:

a signal processing unit for generating configuration data of one or more user equipment, and for compiling the configuration data into a telecommunications transmission format;

a radio unit for transferring the generated configuration data, in the telecommunications format, to a radio unit of the user equipment;

the signal processing unit being further arranged to compile the configuration data into a data packet transmission format; and

the provisioning server further comprising;

a communications unit for transferring the generated configuration data, in the data packet transmission format, over a network interface to a network node,

wherein the signal processing unit is arranged to transfer the generated configuration data to the user equipment via the network node when delivery of the generated configuration data in the telecommunications format through the radio unit is detected to fail.

78. A network node for a communication system comprising user equipment, and a network infrastructure, and the user equipment is provisioned to a service of the communication system through a configuration database modifiable with configuration data input to an inbox of the user equipment in a first format, the network node comprising:

a network unit for receiving data comprising configuration data of user equipment from a provisioning server in a second format;

a signal processing unit being arranged to detect that the received data comprises configuration data, and upon detection is arranged to create a local configuration data package comprising the configuration data and a user agent; and

a local communication unit for transferring the user agent and configuration data to the user equipment, wherein the user agent comprises a transformation algorithm for transforming data from the second format to the first format.