RADIO COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20100190473A1
• Filed: 01/19/2010
• Published: 07/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NTT Docomo Incorporated (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
• Original Assignee: NTT Docomo Incorporated (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
• Inventors: ISHIKAWA, Hidetoshi
• Granted Patent: US 8,385,889 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/411
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/183 Processing at user equipment or user record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/24 Transfer of terminal data

Abstract

A radio communications system is disclosed. The system includes a subscriber information management apparatus, and a subscriber authentication module mounted in a mobile terminal connectable to a mobile communications network to which the subscriber information management apparatus is connected. The subscriber authentication module includes a connecting information setting determining unit; a connecting information generating unit; and a connecting information setting unit which sets the connecting information included in a response received from the mobile terminal. The mobile terminal includes a connecting information transmitting unit; a connecting information response receiving unit; and a connecting information transmitting unit. The subscriber information management apparatus includes a temporary connecting information determining unit; a connecting information selecting unit; and a connecting information transmitting unit.

Claims

1. A radio communications system, the system including a subscriber information management apparatus, and a subscriber authentication module mounted in a mobile terminal connectable to a mobile communications network to which the subscriber information management apparatus is connected,

the subscriber authentication module including:

a connecting information setting determining unit which determines whether connecting information is set in the subscriber authentication module;

a connecting information generating unit which generates temporary connecting information when it is determined by the connecting information setting determining unit that the connecting information is not set; and

a connecting information setting unit which sets the connecting information included in a response received from the mobile terminal, wherein the mobile terminal includes;

a connecting information transmitting unit which transmits, to the subscriber information management apparatus, the connecting information including the temporary connecting information generated by the connecting information generating unit;

a connecting information response receiving unit which receives a response to the connecting information transmitted by the connecting information transmitting unit from the subscriber information management apparatus; and

a connecting information transmitting unit which transmits, to the subscriber authentication module, a response received by the connecting information response receiving unit, wherein the subscriber information management apparatus includes

a temporary connecting information determining unit which determines whether the temporary connecting information is included in the connecting information based on the connecting information transmitted from the mobile terminal;

a connecting information selecting unit which selects connecting information to be set in the subscriber authentication module when it is determined by the temporary connecting information determining unit that the temporary connecting information is included; and

a connecting information transmitting unit which transmits, to the mobile terminal, a response including connecting information selected by the connecting information selecting unit.

2. The radio communications system as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the connecting information includes an international mobile subscriber identification ID, and wherein

the connecting information generating unit generates the temporary connecting information by generating a number of digits which can be set in the international mobile subscriber identification ID.

3. The radio communications system as claimed in claim 2, wherein

a range is set for the international mobile subscriber identification ID which can be generated as the temporary connecting information, wherein

the connecting information generating unit generates the temporary connecting information included in the range, and wherein

the connecting information selecting unit selects the connecting information to be set in the subscriber authentication module from a range other than the range in which the temporary connecting information is included.

4. The radio communications system as claimed in any one of claims 1 through 3, wherein

the connecting information transmitting unit transmits the connecting information using a short message service function.

5. A method in a radio communications system including a subscriber information management apparatus, and a subscriber authentication module mounted in a mobile terminal connectable to a mobile communications network to which the subscriber information management apparatus is connected, wherein the subscriber authentication module performs the steps of:

determining whether connecting information is set in the subscriber authentication module,

generating temporary connecting information when it is determined in said determining step that the connecting information is not set; and

setting connecting information included in a response received from the mobile terminal, wherein the mobile terminal performs the steps of;

transmitting, to the subscriber information management apparatus, the connecting information including the temporary connecting information generated in the generating step,

receiving a response to the connecting information transmitted from the subscriber information management apparatus in said transmitting step,

and transmitting, to the subscriber authentication module, the response received in said receiving step, wherein the subscriber information management apparatus performs the steps of;

determining, based on the connecting information transmitted by the mobile terminal, whether the temporary connecting information is included in the connecting information;

selecting connecting information to be set in the subscriber authentication module when it is determined in the temporary connecting information determining step that the temporary connecting information is included, and

transmitting, to the mobile terminal, a response including the connecting information selected in the selecting step.