Method and apparatus for upgrading cellular mobile telephones

• US 5,418,837 A
• Filed: 07/30/1993
• Issued: 05/23/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Original Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Johansson, Kjell, Lindoff, Mats E. G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chernoff, Michael B.
• Application Number:
  US08/099,325
• Time in Patent Office: 662 Days
• Field of Search: 379/58, 379/61, 379/355, 379/356, 379/96, 379/95, 379/357, 379/144, 455/186.1
• US Class Current: 455/558
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72406 by software upgrading or downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/14 including a card reading device
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/22 Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities

Abstract

An apparatus for upgrading a mobile telephone, the mobile telephone having a main memory the apparatus comprising a module reader provided in the mobile telephone and a software upgrading module card adapted to be temporarily connected to the mobile telephone by insertion into the module reader. The card comprises means for storing upgrading software to be transmitted into the main memory in the mobile telephone. The apparatus further includes means provided in the mobile telephone for transmitting the upgrading software into the main memory.

Claims

1. An apparatus for upgrading existing software in a mobile telephone, the mobile telephone having a main memory, said apparatus comprising:

a module reader provided in the mobile telephone;

a software upgrading module card, said card comprising;

means for temporarily connecting said card to the mobile telephone by insertion into said module reader; and

means for storing upgrading software to be transmitted into the main memory in the mobile telephone, said upgrading software comprising controlling software for controlling operation of the mobile telephone;

means provided in the mobile telephone for transmitting said upgrading software into the main memory; and

wherein said upgrading software further comprises;

identification data for identifying the software upgrading module card and the mobile telephone;

warranty data for providing warranty information on the upgrading software and the software upgrading module card;

function data for upgrading a plurality of mobile telephone functions;

feature data for allowing access to a plurality of mobile telephone features;

timing data for defining a useful life of said mobile telephone features;

type data for identifying types of data stored in the software upgrading module card; and

checksum data for verifying transmission of the upgrading software into the main memory.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the mobile telephone comprises a backup memory area for storing verified versions of information stored in the main memory during transmitting of said upgrading software into the main memory.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said means for transmitting said upgrading software comprises means for changing software in the main memory in the mobile telephone from information provided in said upgrading software stored in said software upgrading module card.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said means for transmitting said upgrading software comprises means for installing new features in the mobile telephone from information provided in said upgrading software stored in said software upgrading module card.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said means for transmitting said upgrading software comprises means for allowing access to existing but previously inaccessible functions in the mobile telephone from information provided in said upgrading software stored in said software upgrading module card.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said means for transmitting said software comprises means for performing an error routine if said software upgrading module card is not valid for upgrading the mobile telephone.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said means for transmitting said upgrading software comprises means for performing an error routine if the transmission from said software upgrading module card includes an error.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said software upgrading module card comprises a microprocessor connected to said means for storing for verifying upgrading of the mobile telephone.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said software upgrading module card comprises a microprocessor, connected to said means for storing, for checking the accuracy of the software transmitted into the main memory in the mobile telephone.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said software upgrading module card comprises a clock and a power source for providing power to said clock, said clock providing means for limiting a useful life of the software upgrading module card.

11. A method of upgrading a mobile telephone comprising the steps of:

temporarily inserting a software upgrading module card in a module card reader of the mobile telephone;

transmitting upgrading controlling software in a memory provided in the mobile telephone from the controlling software stored in a memory provided in the software upgrading module card, said controlling software for controlling operation of the mobile telephone;

storing identification data in the memory of the software upgrading module card for identifying the software upgrading module card and the mobile telephone;

storing warranty data in the memory of the software upgrading module card for providing warranty information on the software upgrading module card and on the software in the memory of the software upgrading module card;

inputting timing data into the memory of the mobile telephone for defining a useful life of a plurality of mobile telephone features;

storing type data in the memory of the software upgrading module card for identifying types of data stored in the memory of the software upgrading module card; and

inputting checksum data into the memory of the mobile telephone for verifying the upgrading of the software stored in the memory of the mobile telephone.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the step of transmitting upgrading software comprises the step of inputting changed software into the memory of the mobile telephone.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein the step of transmitting upgrading software comprises the step of inputting new features into the memory of the mobile telephone.

14. The method according to claim 11, wherein the step of transmitting upgrading software comprises the step of inputting new functions into the memory of the mobile telephone.

15. The method according to claim 11, wherein the step of transmitting upgrading software in the memory of the mobile telephone is performed by software provided in the mobile telephone.

16. The method according to claim 11, wherein the step of transmitting upgrading software in the memory of the mobile telephone comprises performing an error routine in the event that the software upgrading module card is not valid for upgrading.

17. The method according to claim 11, wherein the step of transmitting upgrading software in the memory of the mobile telephone comprises performing an error routine in the event that a faulty transmission from the software upgrading module card is detected.

18. A method for upgrading a mobile telephone comprising the steps of:

detecting whether a temporary upgrading software module card is inserted in a module card reader of the mobile telephone;

if yes, transmitting upgrading controlling software in a memory provided in the mobile telephone from the controlling software stored in a memory provided in the temporary upgrading software upgrading module card, said controlling software for controlling operation of the mobile telephone;

storing identification data in the memory of the software upgrading module card for identifying the software upgrading module card and the mobile telephone;

storing warranty data in the memory of the software upgrading module card for providing warranty information on the software upgrading module card and on the software in the memory of the software upgrading module card;

inputting timing data into the memory of the mobile telephone for defining a useful life of a plurality of mobile telephone features;

storing type data in the memory of the software upgrading module card for identifying types of data stored in the memory of the software upgrading module card; and

inputting checksum data into the memory of the mobile telephone for verifying the upgrading of the software stored in the memory of the mobile telephone.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the step of transmitting upgrading software comprises the step of inputting new software into the memory of the mobile telephone.

20. The method according to claim 18, wherein the step of transmitting upgrading software comprises the step of inputting new features into the memory of the mobile telephone.

21. The method according to claim 18, wherein the step of transmitting upgrading software comprises the step of inputting new functions into the memory of the mobile telephone.

22. The method according to claim 18, wherein the step of transmitting upgrading software in the memory of the mobile telephone is performed by software provided in the mobile telephone.

23. The method according to claim 18, wherein the step of transmitting upgrading software in the memory of the mobile telephone comprises performing an error routine in the event that the software upgrading module card is not valid for upgrading.