Method and apparatus for over-the-air programming of telecommunication services

• US 6,456,843 B1
• Filed: 12/17/1998
• Issued: 09/24/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Wireless Services Incorporated (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Daly, Brian Kevin
• Primary Examiner(s): Kincaid, Lester G.
• Application Number:
  US09/213,416
• Time in Patent Office: 1,377 Days
• Field of Search: 455/419, 455/414, 455/432, 455/420, 455/433, 455/550, 455/551, 455/435, 455/418, 455/426, 455/552, 455/553, 455/186.1, 455/466
• US Class Current: 455/419
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/183 Processing at user equipment or user record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/20 Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/245 from a network towards a terminal

Abstract

A method for updating service information stored in a mobile station relies on the programmability of the station and over-the-air transmission of teleservice information. When a station is inactive, a delivery flag is set when the station subsequently registers the over-the-air transmission is performed.

Claims

1. A method for updating service information stored in mobile stations of a telecommunications network, the method comprising the steps of:

identifying a plurality of said mobile stations to be updated;

detecting whether a selected mobile station of the plurality of said mobile stations is activated;

if said selected mobile station is activated, transferring updated service information from a database to the selected mobile station, and

if said selected mobile station is not activated, designating said selected mobile station to be updated when it is later activated.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising a step of updating service information in the first database comprising the step of modifying a service information database within said first database and said first database is included in a network message center.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said step of identifying is automatically triggered by completion of said step of updating.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first database and the second database are located separately from the mobile stations.

5. A method according to claim 1 wherein said service information is updated system identifier code and/or system operator codes which are favored and/or disfavored.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein said service information is differentiated from other teleservices by a different protocol identifier.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein said mobile station sends an acknowledgment of receipt of said updated service information.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein said service information comprises data designating which system identifier codes are favored by the network.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein said service information is telecommunication service updates.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein said updated service information is transferred from said database to said selected mobile station by using a wireless standard operating frequency higher than cellular frequencies.

11. A system for updating service information stored in mobile stations, the system comprising:

a first database storing subscriber information;

a second database storing service information;

an update terminal associated with said second database and providing updated service information to said second database;

a processor, responsive to an update of said service information, that sets an update status indicator for a set of subscribers identified by said first database as having mobile stations capable of updating;

said processor further being programmed to

detect whether a given mobile station having a set update status indicator is activated, and

command a transfer of updated service information from said second database to said given mobile station.

12. The system of claim 11 further comprising a message center in which said second database resides.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein said first database is constituted by a home location register.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the first database and the second database are located separately from the mobile stations.

15. A system according to claim 11 wherein said service information includes updated favored and disfavored system identifier code information.

16. A system according to claim 11, wherein said transfer of updated service information from said second database to said given mobile station is achieved using a wireless standard supporting frequency higher than cellular frequencies.

17. A method for updating service information stored in a mobile station, the method comprising the steps of:

identifying a plurality of mobile stations to be updated;

detecting whether a selected mobile station of said plurality of mobile stations is activated;

if said selected mobile station is activated, transferring updated service information from said central database to the selected mobile station, and

if said selected mobile station is not activated, designating said selected mobile station to be updated when it is later activated;

wherein said service information includes data for managing intelligent roaming operations, the data including updated favored and/or disfavored system identifier code information.

18. A method according to claim 17, wherein said transferring step is achieved using a wireless standard operating frequency higher than cellular frequencies.

19. A system for updating service information stored in mobile stations, the system comprising:

a first database storing subscriber information;

a second database storing service information;

an update terminal associated with said second database and providing updated service information to said second database;

a processor, responsive to an update of said service information, that sets an update status indicator for a set of subscribers identified by said first database as having mobile stations capable of updating,

said processor detecting whether a given mobile station having a set update status indicator is activated, and commanding a transfer of updated service information from said second database to said given mobile station;

wherein said service information includes data for managing intelligent roaming operations, the data including updated favored and/or disfavored system identifier code information.

20. A system according to claim 19, wherein the transfer of said updated service information is achieved using a wireless standard supporting frequency higher than cellular frequencies.

21. A method for updating service information stored in a mobile station from information stored in a first database, the method comprising the steps of:

identifying a plurality of mobile stations to be updated;

detecting whether a selected mobile station of said plurality of mobile stations is activated;

if said selected mobile station is activated, transferring updated service information from said first data base to the selected mobile station, and

if said selected mobile station is not activated, designating said selected mobile station to be updated when it is later activated;

wherein said service information includes data for managing intelligent roaming operations, the data including updated favored and/or disfavored system identifier code information.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the first database and the second database are located separately from the mobile stations.

23. A method according to claim 21, wherein said transferring is achieved using a wireless standard supporting frequency higher than cellular frequencies.

24. A telecommunications system comprising at least one central station and a plurality of mobile stations, the system having favored and/or disfavored system identifier codes which change over time, said favored and/or disfavored system identifier codes being stored in at least some of said mobile stations, the improvement comprising:

said at least one central station having a database which maintains updated favored and/or disfavored system identifier code information;

said central station comprising a transmitter which transmits said updated favored and/or system identifier code information to one or more of said mobile stations by first determining if said one or more mobile stations is activated; and

(1) if said one or more mobile stations is activated, sending the updated favored and/or disfavored system identifier code information to said one or more mobile stations for storage therein; and

(2) if said one or more mobile stations is not activated, designating that said updated favored and/or disfavored system identifier code information should be transmitted to said one or more mobile stations when said one or more mobile stations is activated.

25. A telecommunications system comprising at least one central station and a plurality of mobile stations, the system having current service information which changes over time, said current service information being stored in at least some of said mobile stations, the improvement comprising:

said at least one central station having a database which maintains current service information;

said central station comprising a transmitter which transmits said current service information to one or more of said mobile stations by first determining if said one or more mobile stations is activated; and

(1) if said one or more mobile stations is activated, sending the current service information to said one or more mobile stations for storage therein; and

(2) if said one or more mobile stations is not activated, designating that said current service information should be transmitted to said one or more mobile stations when said one or more mobile stations is activated.

26. A method for inputting service information stored in mobile stations of a telecommunications network, the method comprising the steps of:

identifying a plurality of said mobile stations to receive service information;

detecting whether a selected mobile station of the plurality of said mobile stations is in a state to receive service information;

if said selected mobile station is in a state to receive service information, inputting information from a database to the selected mobile station, and

if said selected mobile station is not in a state to receive information, designating said selected mobile station to subsequently receive information when it is in a state to receive information.

27. A telecommunications system comprising at least one central station and a plurality of mobile stations, the system having current favored and/or disfavored system identifier codes, said favored and/or disfavored system identifier codes being stored in at least some of said mobile stations, the improvement comprising:

said at least one central station having a database which maintains current favored and/or disfavored system identifier code information;

said central station comprising a transmitter which transmits said current favored and/or disfavored system identifier code information to one or more of said mobile stations by first determining if said one or more mobile stations is activated; and

(1) if said one or more mobile stations is activated, sending the current favored and/or disfavored system identifier code information to said one or more mobile stations for storage therein; and

(2) if said one or more mobile stations is not activated, designating that said current favored and/or disfavored system identifier code information should be transmitted to said one or more mobile stations when said one or more mobile stations is activated.