METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR UPDATING A COMMUNICATIONS DEVICE USING SMS MESSAGES

• US 20130143609A1
• Filed: 06/13/2012
• Published: 06/06/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Arlene Joy Harris, Brian Thomas Richardson, Mary Cozza, Michael S. Dawes, Susan M. Duthie, Virginia Ellen Beneke
• Original Assignee: Arlene Joy Harris, Brian Thomas Richardson, Mary Cozza, Michael S. Dawes, Susan M. Duthie, Virginia Ellen Beneke
• Inventors: Richardson, Brian Thomas, Harris, Arlene Joy, Beneke, Virginia Ellen, Cozza, Mary, Dawes, Michael S., Duthie, Susan M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,954,101 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/466
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/082 the condition being updates or upgrades of network functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/245 from a network towards a terminal

Abstract

Method and apparatus for using text messages, e.g., SMS messages, to trigger a device update and/or to update a communications device, e.g., cell phone, are described. The cell phone can be updated/programmed from a remote device. The updating can use SMS messages to accomplish the update. An SMS message may include a command and, optionally, other update information in the message body. Received SMS messages are checked to determine if they include an update command. If an update command is present the command is performed after a security check is satisfied. In some but not necessarily all embodiments, a simplified user interface is supported in addition to SMS update features.

Claims

1. A method of operating a portable communications device to perform an update operation, the method comprising:

receiving an SMS message including a header portion and a message body portion;

determining if the SMS message includes an indicator used to indicate that the message is an update message; and

if the SMS message is an update message, performing an update operation as a function of the content of the body portion of said received SMS message without displaying the full content of the body portion of said SMS message.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

if said SMS message is determined not to include said indicator, displaying a text message included in said received SMS message to a user of said device.