Method of switching service profile to another and terminal apparatus for utilizing the method

• US 6,219,702 B1
• Filed: 04/12/1996
• Issued: 04/17/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Gotoh, Shigeki, Ikehara, Tetsuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Geckil, Mehmet B.
• Application Number:
  US08/631,242
• Time in Patent Office: 1,831 Days
• Field of Search: 395/200.57, 395/200.58, 395/200.59, 395/187.01, 395/188.01, 395/186, 395/227-229, 380/23, 380/24, 380/25, 380/49, 340/825.34, 379/59, 379/38, 379/210, 379/211, 379/217, 379/219, 379/220, 379/258, 370/241, 370/252, 370/270, 370/385, 370/524, 370/453, 370/457, 370/904, 709/224, 709/238, 709/222, 709/228, 38/23--25
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

This relates to a method of switching service profiles of a terminal apparatus from one to another and the terminal apparatus itself. The method easily switches service profiles of the terminal apparatus from one to another even from a remote place according to switching conditions such as a switching time. A terminal apparatus is connected to a network 8. The terminal apparatus has a service-state detector 1, a call controller 2, an initialization unit 3, a memory 4, a timer 5, a data registration unit 6, a card reader 7, and an I/O controller 9. The memory 4 stores service profile identifiers (SPIDs) and switching conditions such as a switching time. When the switching conditions are met, a present SPID is switched to a given one, the terminal apparatus is reset, and an end point initialization request is made to the network 8. An end point is initialized, and a service profile for the given SPID is allocated to the terminal apparatus.

Claims

1. A terminal apparatus for carrying out a method of switching service profiles controlled by networks, said apparatus comprising a call control processing portion connected to networks;

a storage portion for registering correspondingly a plurality of service profile identifiers and a condition of switching for use in a plurality of communication terminals in said network;

a data registration processing portion for carrying out a control for said storage portion to register other data including said service profile identifiers; and

an initialization processing portion for carrying out an end point initialization processing by a service profile identifier selectively designated according to the service profile identifiers registered in said storage portion or said condition of the switching of the plurality of registered service profile identifiers, one said service profile identifier being optically made available respectively by user selection from said communication terminals.

2. A terminal apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said storage portion comprises regions for storing the condition of the switching and information of downloading in correspondence with a plurality of service profile identifiers.

3. A terminal apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said storage portion comprises regions for storing the condition of the switching based on a predetermined time for allowing the continuation of the unused state or the frequency of uses in correspondence with a plurality of service profile identifiers, and said terminal apparatus.

4. A terminal apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a card reader for inputting said service profile identifiers.

5. A terminal apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a receiving and processing portion for receiving a request of registration or selection of said service profile identifiers through said networks and controlling said storage portion, and a pass-word comparison portion for comparing pass-words used in relation with the request of registration or selection of said service profile identifiers.

6. A method of switching service profiles controlled by a network from one to another, comprising the steps of:

selecting one of service profile identifiers stored in a memory in a terminal apparatus according to switching conditions,

switching to the service profile corresponding to the selected profile identifier; and

using the same service profile dynamically in different locations by a switching operation from a remote place, depending on temporal information, or depending on use frequency, in accordance with a user'"'"'s option.