Method and configuration for transferring programs

• US 6,311,241 B1
• Filed: 09/27/1999
• Issued: 10/30/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gemalto M2M GmbH (Thales SA)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Hofmann, Ludwig
• Primary Examiner(s): Dharia, Rupal
• Application Number:
  US09/407,256
• Time in Patent Office: 764 Days
• Field of Search: 710/100, 710/101, 710/102, 710/103, 455/410, 455/411, 455/412, 455/558, 455/405, 455/418, 455/419, 365/52, 365/51, 712/20
• US Class Current: 710/301
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72406 by software upgrading or downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/14 including a card reading device

Abstract

A method for transferring programs to an electronic unit, in which the program to be transferred is stored on a plug-in device. The program is transferred to the electronic unit after the plug-in device has been inserted into the electronic unit, the transfer being controlled by a controller in the plug-in device. The method relates in particular to the loading of programs from a plug-in card with a SIM interface to a mobile radio terminal.

Claims

1. A method for transferring programs to an electronic unit, which comprises:

storing a program to be transferred on a plug-in device;

transferring the program to the electronic unit after the plug-in device has been inserted into the electronic unit, the transfer being controlled by a controller of the plug-in device; and

providing a non-volatile memory on the plug-in device, the non-volatile memory registering a number of transfers of the program to the electronic unit, and the transfer of the program is no longer permitted if a specific number of the transfers have been carried out.

2. The method according to claim 1, which comprises adapting the plug-in device to an existing slot of the electronic unit provided for receiving plug-in devices and has an input/output interface, the controller controlling and adapting a transfer of the program to the input/output interface corresponding to the existing slot.

3. The method according to claim 1, which comprises adapting the plug-in device to a slot of a communications terminal and an associated subscriber identity module (SIM) interface of the electronic unit for receiving a SIM card, the controller controlling and adapting the transfer of the program to a SIM input/output interface corresponding to the interface.

4. A plug-in device for transferring a program to an electronic unit having an existing input/output interface, the plug-in device comprising:

a plug-in device body configured for being inserted into the electronic unit;

a memory for storing programs to be transferred to the electronic unit and disposed on said plug-in device body;

a controller disposed on said plug-in device body for controlling a transfer of the programs to the electronic unit and for adapting the transfer to the existing input/output interface of the electronic unit after said plug-in device body has been inserted into said electronic unit; and

a non-volatile memory connected to said controller and registering a number of transfers of a program wherein, a transfer of the program is no longer permitted if a specific number of transfers have been carried out.

5. The plug-in device according to claim 4, wherein said controller is realized independently of the programs as digital hardware.

6. The plug-in device according to claim 4, wherein said controller is realized independently of the programs as a microcontroller with an integrated program.