Method and apparatus for remote activation of wireless device features using short message services (SMS)
First Claim
1. A method for controlling feature availability in a wireless device using SMS comprising:
- sending a predetermined SMS feature control message to the wireless device;
receiving at the wireless device the predetermined SMS feature control message;
parsing the predetermined SMS feature control message to separate contents of data fields within the SMS feature control message; and
controlling the feature availability according to the contents of the data fields;
wherein the predetermined SMS feature control message comprises a minimum software version which identifies the lowest version of software able to use the feature code included in the SMS feature control message; and
an exact software version data field.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for remote control of software and hardware features of a wireless communication device using Short Message Services (SMS). A wireless communication device with SMS capabilities can be remotely configured by sending specifically configured SMS messages. A manufacturer can configure a wireless device to have control over certain features accessible through SMS messages. A configuring SMS message is constructed using a specific format to inform the wireless device of the presence of a feature control message. Predetermined combinations of characters unlikely to occur in normal messages are used as message start and stop delimiters. A series of fields are defined in the SMS message with the fields separated by delimiters distinct from the message start and stop delimiters. Commands may be sent to the wireless device using point-to-point as well as broadcast SMS messages. The wireless device receives the SMS message and identifies it as a feature control command by noting the presence of a message start delimiter. The message is then parsed according to the field delimiters within the message. The wireless device then configures software and hardware features according to the contents of the SMS message fields.
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Citations
10 Claims
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1. A method for controlling feature availability in a wireless device using SMS comprising:
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sending a predetermined SMS feature control message to the wireless device;
receiving at the wireless device the predetermined SMS feature control message;
parsing the predetermined SMS feature control message to separate contents of data fields within the SMS feature control message; and
controlling the feature availability according to the contents of the data fields;
wherein the predetermined SMS feature control message comprises a minimum software version which identifies the lowest version of software able to use the feature code included in the SMS feature control message; and
an exact software version data field. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. An apparatus within an SMS capable wireless device for controlling feature availability using SMS feature control messages comprising:
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a digital processor;
a memory device containing at least one predetermined feature code space having at least one feature mode location; and
a minimum of one hardware feature which utilizes the contents of at least one predetermined feature code space to determine the availability of each hardware feature;
wherein the digital processor determines the presence of the SMS feature control message, parses the SMS feature control message to recover a plurality of data fields, and writes the contents of the data fields to corresponding feature mode locations; and
wherein the plurality of data fields comprise;
a model ID field identifying the model of wireless device the SMS feature control message is directed towards;
a feature control field identifying the specific feature code space in memory addressed;
a minimum of one feature mode fields identifying the value to be written in the corresponding feature mode locations;
a minimum software version field identifying the lowest version of software able to use the feature mode values; and
an exact version field. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7)
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8. Apparatus for controlling feature availability in a wireless device using SMS comprising:
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(a) means for receiving, at the wireless device, a previously sent, predetermined SMS feature control message;
(b) means for parsing the predetermined SMS feature control message to separate contents of data fields within the SMS feature control message; and
(c) means for controlling the feature availability according to the contents of the data fields;
wherein the predetermined SMS feature control message comprises; (d) a minimum software version which identifies the lowest version of software able to use the feature code included in the SMS feature control message; and
(e) an exact software version data field. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10)
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Specification