Operator independent, transparent wireless modem management

• US 6,697,421 B1
• Filed: 11/19/1999
• Issued: 02/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Monroe, Daniel Richard, Rea, Gregory Allan
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Amanda T.
• Application Number:
  US09/444,044
• Time in Patent Office: 1,558 Days
• Field of Search: 375/211, 375/219, 375/220, 375/222, 709/217, 709/223, 455/426.1, 455/426.2, 455/73, 455/555, 455/557, 370/315
• US Class Current: 375/222
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/323 for the arrangements providing the connection (test connection, test call, call simulation)
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

An operator independent, transparent wireless modem management system is disclosed. According to an embodiment of the invention, the modem management system comprises the steps of receiving a short message service message at the wireless modem and examining the short message service message for modem management information. If the short message service message comprises modem management information, then the wireless modem processes the short message service message. A wireless modem for accomplishing the same is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A wireless modem comprising:

a processor;

a memory coupled to said processor, said memory comprising a software stack configured to hold one or more sequences of instructions for causing said processor to handle a wireless protocol;

a RF transceiver coupled to said processor; and

an interface coupled to said processor, said interface configured to receive signals from an external device;

wherein

said processor is configured to handle said signals from said external device over said interface, and wherein said processor is further configured to handle one or more short message service messages delivered over said RF transceiver, said short message service messages comprising modem management information.

2. The wireless modem of claim 1, wherein said modem management information comprises wireless modem configuration parameters.

3. The wireless modem of claim 1, wherein said modem management information includes a command for wireless modem to perform a function stored internally to said wireless modem.

4. The wireless modem of claim 1, wherein said processor handles said one or more short message service messages received over said RF transceiver by parsing data from one or more said short message service messages, testing said parsed data for a modem management command indictor, and processing said short message service message if said modem management command indicator is detected.

5. The wireless modem of claim 1, wherein said wireless protocol is a global system for mobile communications protocol.

6. The wireless modem of claim 1, wherein said wireless protocol is a general packet radio services protocol.

7. A method for wireless modem management comprising the steps of:

receiving a short message service message at a wireless modem;

examining said short message service message for modem management information;

processing said short message service message at said wireless modem if said short message service message comprises said modem management information; and

passing said short message service message through said wireless modem if said short message service message does not comprise said modem management information.

8. The method of claim 7, said step of examining comprising the steps of:

parsing said short message service message;

testing said parsed short message service message for a modem management command indicator, said command indicator indicating whether said short message service message includes said modem management information; and

signaling to a processor in said wireless modem that a command is waiting to be executed if said processing designator is found.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein said step of processing said short message service message at said wireless modem includes initializing said wireless modem based upon said modem management information contained in said short message service message.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein said step of processing said short message service message at said wireless modem includes the step of checking a quality of a wireless signal detected at said wireless modem.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein said step of processing said short message service message at said wireless modem includes the step of handling a request for a call log history.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein said step of processing said short message service message at said wireless modem includes the step of selecting a RF channel for wireless communications on said wireless modem.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein said step of processing said short message service message at said wireless modem includes the step of authenticating a party sending short message service messages to said wireless modem.

14. The method of claim 7, wherein said step of processing said short message service message at said wireless modem includes the step of initializing communication parameters for event detection and notification.

15. A computer-readable medium comprising one or more sequences of instructions configured to cause a processor to perform steps for modem management in a wireless modem, said one or more sequences of instructions comprising the steps of:

receiving a short message service message at a wireless modem;

examining said short message service message for modem management information;

processing said short message service message at said wireless modem if said short message service message comprises said modem management information; and

passing said short message service message through said wireless modem if said short message service message does not comprise said modem management information.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, said step of examining comprising the steps of:

parsing said short message service message;

testing said parsed short message service message for a modem management command indicator, said command indicator indicating whether said short message service message includes said modem management information; and

signaling to a processor in said wireless modem that a command is waiting to be executed if said processing designator is found.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein said step of processing said short message service message at said wireless modem includes initializing said wireless modem based upon said modem management information contained in said short message service message.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein said step of processing said short message service message at said wireless modem includes the step of checking a quality of a wireless signal detected at said wireless modem.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein said step of processing said short message service message at said wireless modem includes the step of handling a request for a call log history.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein said step of processing said short message service message at said wireless modem includes the step of selecting a RF channel for wireless communications on said wireless modem.

21. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein said step of processing said short message service message at said wireless modem includes the step of authenticating a party sending short message service messages to said wireless modem.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein said step of processing said short message service message at said wireless modem includes the step of initializing communication parameters for event detection and notification.