Digital wireless telephone system for downloading software to a digital telephone using wireless data link protocol

• US 6,587,684 B1
• Filed: 07/28/1998
• Issued: 07/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bell Atlantic Mobile Systems Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bell Atlantic Nynex Mobile
• Inventors: Hsu, Jay, Zadrozny, Stanley
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Steven
• Assistant Examiner(s): DUONG, DUC T
• Application Number:
  US09/123,454
• Time in Patent Office: 1,799 Days
• Field of Search: 370/401, 370/402, 370/403, 370/404, 370/338, 370/351, 370/352, 370/353, 370/354, 370/355, 370/356, 370/328, 370/400, 455/560, 455/561, 455/418, 455/419, 455/420, 709/209, 709/223
• US Class Current: 455/419
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72406 by software upgrading or downloading

Abstract

A digital wireless telephone downloads software related to digital telephone services using a client browser. The digital telephone initiates a data call to an interworking unit via a digital wireless telephone network, using a prescribed wireless data protocol such as IS-95A. The interworking unit recovers the payload of the wireless data packets to establish a two-way data link with the digital telephone. The interworking unit sends data messages to a destination server across a second two-way data link in a packet switched network to establish a two way session between the digital telephone and the destination server. The user of the digital telephone can thus communicate with the server via a two-way application-layer session using hypertext-based messaging. The digital telephone can thus navigate between different servers on the packet switched network for activation of different digital telephone services, and for downloading new software or updating existing software related to the digital telephone services.

Claims

1. A system for programming a digital telephone configured for sending and receiving data packets according to a prescribed wireless data protocol, the system comprising:

a digital wireless transceiver configured for transmitting first data packets to the digital telephone according to the prescribed wireless data protocol in response to reception of a first data stream, and outputting a second data stream carrying second data packets transmitted from the digital telephone;

an interworking unit for establishing a two-way communication link with the digital telephone according to a prescribed network layer protocol, the interworking unit outputting the first data packets to the digital wireless transceiver in response to received first network layer messages, and generating second network layer messages based on the second data packets and the prescribed network layer protocol;

a server for establishing a two-way application-layer session with the digital telephone by outputting the first network layer messages and based on the second network layer messages received from the interworking unit, the server downloading control software associated with digital telephone services to the digital telephone during the two-way application layer session; and

a proxy gateway in communication with the interworking unit, the proxy gateway selectively controlling access by the digital telephone to the server based on validation of security information supplied by the digital telephone,

wherein the interworking unit establishes a virtual connection connecting the digital telephone to the proxy gateway in response to reception of a prescribed address received from the digital telephone via the two-way communication link.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a packet switched network for carrying data frames establishing the virtual connection between the interworking unit and the proxy gateway, and data frames between the interworking unit and the server.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the interworking unit receives the second data packets in IS-95A as said prescribed wireless data protocol, and sends the data frames to the server via the packet switched network according to TCP/IP protocol as said network layer protocol.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the server sends an instruction to the digital telephone, in response to establishment of the two-way application layer session, to display on the digital telephone a prescribed menu of user inputs.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the server downloads the control software in response to receiving a corresponding one of the user inputs from the digital telephone.

6. A system for programming a digital telephone configured for sending and receiving data packets according to a prescribed wireless data protocol, the system comprising:

a digital wireless transceiver configured for transmitting first data packets to the digital telephone according to the prescribed wireless data protocol in response to reception of a first data stream, and outputting a second data stream carrying second data packets transmitted from the digital telephone;

an interworking unit for establishing a two-way communication link with the digital telephone according to a prescribed network layer protocol, the interworking unit outputting the first data packets to the digital wireless transceiver in response to received first network layer messages, and generating second network layer messages based on the second data packets and the prescribed network layer protocol;

a server for establishing a two-way application-layer session with the digital telephone by outputting the first network layer messages and based on the second network layer messages received from the interworking unit, the server downloading control software associated with digital telephone services to the digital telephone during the two-way application layer session;

a proxy gateway in communication with the interworking unit, the proxy gateway selectively controlling access by the digital telephone to the server based on validation of security information supplied by the digital telephone; and

a user database storing for each user an International Mobile Station Identity (IMSI), a secret key, and a user status,

wherein the proxy gateway receives as said security information a transmitted IMSI and a security key from the digital telephone, the proxy gateway accessing the user database based on the transmitted IMSI and security key and in response selectively granting the digital telephone access to the server.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the proxy gateway supplies a predetermined Uniform Resource Locator (URL) according to a hypertext protocol to the digital telephone for establishment of a secure link by the digital telephone with the server.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the server, in response to receiving an encrypted user authentication code from the digital telephone, sends a programming lock to the digital telephone for identification by the digital telephone of authorized control software sources.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the prescribed wireless data protocol is IS-95A.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the prescribed network layer protocol is TCP/IP protocol.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising a packet switched network for carrying the first and second network layer messages according to TCP/IP protocol.

12. A method of programming digital telephone services in a digital telephone in communication with a digital wireless communications system, comprising:

initiating a two-way network link from the digital telephone to an interworking unit by sending and receiving data packets via a digital wireless base station transceiver according to a prescribed wireless data protocol;

establishing a two-way session between the digital telephone and a server via the two-way network link by sending from the digital telephone a network address corresponding to the server, the server in communication with the interworking unit via a packet switched data network, wherein the establishing step includes;

(a) supplying a menu list from the server to the digital telephone;

(b) executing a browser application stored in the digital telephone and configured for displaying the menu list on the digital telephone; and

(c) outputting by the browser application a selection input to the server in response to a user selection from the menu list;

downloading control software associated with the digital telephone services to the digital telephone via the digital wireless base station transceiver in response to the selection input supplied by the digital telephone during the two-way session;

outputting by the browser application a second selection input to the server in response to a corresponding second user selection from the menu list;

establishing via the two-way network link a second two-way session between the digital telephone and a second server in communication with the packet switched data network; and

downloading update software from the second server in response to version information supplied from the digital telephone to the second server.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the update includes at least one of vocoder software, browser application software, device drivers, and operating system software.

14. A method of programming digital telephone services in a digital telephone in communication with a digital wireless communications system, comprising:

initiating a two-way network link from the digital telephone to an interworking unit by sending and receiving data packets via a digital wireless base station transceiver according to a prescribed wireless data protocol;

establishing a two-way session between the digital telephone and a server via the two-way network link by sending from the digital telephone a network address corresponding to the server, the server in communication with the interworking unit via a packet switched data network, wherein the establishing step includes;

(a) assigning an IP address by the interworking unit to the digital telephone, and forwarding the assigned IP address and a first destination IP address to the digital telephone from the interworking unit;

(b) establishing an initial two-way session between the digital telephone and a proxy server corresponding to the first destination IP address via the interworking unit;

(c) authenticating a security status of the digital telephone by the proxy server during the initial two-way session and in response supplying the network address corresponding to the server from the proxy server to the digital telephone; and

(d) establishing the two-way session between the digital telephone and the server in response to the authenticating step; and

downloading control software associated with the digital telephone services to the digital telephone via the digital wireless base station transceiver in response to a selection input supplied by the digital telephone during the two-way session.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the downloading step includes:

supplying data packets carrying the control software to the interworking unit according to TCP/IP protocol, and

transmitting the data packets carrying the control software from the digital wireless base station transceiver according to IS-95A protocol.

16. A telecommunications system comprising:

a digital wireless telephone having a memory for storing a browser for selecting a request from a menu of available requests, and a transceiver for sending a first stream of data packets carrying a selected request and receiving a second stream of data packets;

a wireless telephone network comprising;

(a) a digital wireless transceiver for receiving the first stream of data packets and sending the second stream of data packets according to a prescribed wireless data protocol, and

(b) a mobile switching center for establishing a switched connection between the digital wireless telephone and a destination station based on a dialed input from the digital wireless telephone;

an interworking unit for establishing a two-way data link with the digital telephone using the switched connection; and

a server for downloading control software associated with digital telephone services of the wireless telephone network via the interworking unit and the mobile switching center to the digital telephone, wherein;

the interworking unit establishes the two-way data link according to a prescribed network layer protocol, and

the interworking unit outputs the first stream of data packets to the digital wireless transceiver in response to received first network layer messages, and generates second network layer messages based on the second stream of data packets and the prescribed network layer protocol.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the server establishes a two-way application layer session with the digital wireless telephone by outputting the first network layer messages and based on the second network layer messages received from the interworking unit, the server downloading the control software during the two-way application layer session.

18. The system of claim 16, further comprising a proxy gateway in communication with the interworking unit and selectively controlling access by the digital wireless telephone to the server based on validation of security information supplied by the digital wireless telephone.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the interworking unit establishes a virtual connection for the digital wireless telephone to the proxy gateway in response to reception of a prescribed address from the digital wireless telephone.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising a packet switched network for carrying data frames establishing the virtual connection between the interworking unit and the proxy gateway, and data frames between the interworking unit and the server.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the interworking unit receives the second data packets in IS-95A protocol, and sends the data frames to the server via the packet switched network according to TCP/IP protocol.

22. The system of claim 16, wherein the server sends an instruction to the digital telephone to display on the digital telephone a prescribed menu of user inputs.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the server downloads the control software in response to receiving a corresponding one of the user inputs from the digital telephone.

24. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

a user database storing for each user an International Mobile Station Identity (IMSI), a secret key, and a user status; and

a proxy gateway for receiving a transmitted IMSI and a security key from the digital telephone, the proxy gateway accessing the user database based on the transmitted IMSI and security key and in response selectively granting the digital telephone access to the server for the downloading of the control software.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the proxy gateway supplies a predetermined Uniform Resource Locator (URL) according to a hypertext protocol to the digital telephone for establishment of a secure link by the digital telephone with the server.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the server, in response to receiving an encrypted user authentication code from the digital telephone, sends a programming lock to the digital telephone for identification by the digital telephone of authorized control software sources.

27. The system of claim 16, wherein the server downloads upgrade software to the digital telephone in response to receiving revision information from the digital telephone.

28. The system of claim 16, wherein the interworking unit includes an interface for converting the first stream of data packets from IS-95 protocol to a physical layer protocol capable of transporting TCP/IP messages to the server, and for outputting the second stream of data packets carrying the control software in the IS-95 protocol.

29. A telecommunications system comprising:

a digital wireless telephone having a memory for storing a browser for selecting a request from a menu of available requests, and a transceiver for sending a first stream of data packets carrying a selected request and receiving a second stream of data packets;

a wireless telephone network comprising;

(a) a digital wireless transceiver for receiving the first stream of data packets and sending the second stream of data packets according to a prescribed wireless data protocol, and

(b) a mobile switching center for establishing a switched connection between the digital wireless telephone and a destination station based on a dialed input from the digital wireless telephone;

an interworking unit for establishing a two-way data link with the digital telephone using the switched connection;

a server for downloading control software associated with digital telephone services of the wireless telephone network via the interworking unit and the mobile switching center to the digital telephone; and

a proxy gateway in communication with the interworking unit and selectively controlling access by the digital wireless telephone to the server based on validation of security information supplied by the digital wireless telephone.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the interworking unit establishes a virtual connection for the digital wireless telephone to the proxy gateway in response to reception of a prescribed address from the digital wireless telephone.

31. The system of claim 30, further comprising a packet switched network for carrying data frames establishing the virtual connection between the interworking unit and the proxy gateway, and data frames between the interworking unit and the server.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the interworking unit receives the second data packets in I-95A protocol, and sends the data frames to the server via the packet switched network according to TCP/IP protocol.

33. A telecommunications system comprising:

a digital wireless telephone having a memory for storing a browser for selecting a request from a menu of available requests, and a transceiver for sending a first stream of data packets carrying a selected request and receiving a second stream of data packets;

a wireless telephone network comprising;

(a) a digital wireless transceiver for receiving the first stream of data packets and sending the second stream of data packets according to a prescribed wireless data protocol, and

(b) a mobile switching center for establishing a switched connection between the digital wireless telephone and a destination station based on a dialed input from the digital wireless telephone;

an interworking unit for establishing a two-way data link with the digital telephone using the switched connection;

a server for downloading control software associated with digital telephone services of the wireless telephone network via the interworking unit and the mobile switching center to the digital telephone;

a user database storing for each user an International Mobile Station Identity (IMSI), a secret key, and a user status; and

a proxy gateway for receiving a transmitted IMSI and a security key from the digital telephone, the proxy gateway accessing the user database based on the transmitted IMSI and security key and in response selectively granting the digital telephone access to the server for the downloading of the control software.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the proxy gateway supplies a predetermined Uniform Resource Locator (URL) according to a hypertext protocol to the digital telephone for establishment of a secure link by the digital telephone with the server.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the server, in response to receiving an encrypted user authentication code from the digital telephone, sends a programming lock to the digital telephone for identification by the digital telephone of authorized control software sources.