Method for a terminal using services offered by a master station and a terminal

• US 6,823,354 B1
• Filed: 07/07/2000
• Issued: 11/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Kersken, Ulrich, Kynast, Andreas
• Primary Examiner(s): Follansbee, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hu, Jinsong
• Application Number:
  US09/554,368
• Time in Patent Office: 1,600 Days
• Field of Search: 709/200, 709/202, 709/246, 709/249, 370/259, 455/445
• US Class Current: 709/200
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72406 by software upgrading or downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72409 by interfacing with external accessories hands-free H04M1/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724098 Interfacing with an on-board device of a vehicle for hands-free speaking in vehicles H04M1/6075
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

A terminal and a method for a terminal using services offered by a master station is proposed. The method allows a user-configured service to be activated at a terminal which is limited in its input possibility. In this context, a first terminal transmits activation data to the master station over a first data network. With the assistance of the activation data, a service identification and a terminal identifier are transmitted to the master station. In the master station, a service is selected as a function of the service identification. The master station transmits service data corresponding to the selected service as a function of the terminal identifier so that the service data is recognized by the first terminal upon reception and initiates functions for implementing the selected service at the first terminal.

Claims

1. A method for a first terminal to use services offered by a master station, comprising the steps of:

transmitting activation data from the first terminal to the master station over a first data network;

transmitting a service identification and a terminal identifier to the master station using the activation data, the terminal identifier indicating a type and a functionality of the first terminal;

selecting a service in the master station as a function of the service identification; and

transmitting service data corresponding to the selected service from the master station to the first terminal over the first data network as a function of the terminal identifier, the service data being recognized by the first terminal upon reception and initiating functions for implementing the selected service at the first terminal.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

transmitting a user identification to the master station using the activation data; and

from the master station, transmitting the service data to the first terminal only if the user identification corresponds to user data stored in the master station.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

from the first terminal, transmitting a request signal to the master station over the first data network, the request signal including at least one of the terminal identifier and a user identification; and

from the master station, transmitting a service-identification signal to the first terminal over the first data network as a function of the received request signal, the service-identification signal including service identifications of services of the master station that are usable by the first terminal.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

transmitting additional data to the master station using the activation data, the additional data including at least one of condition of the first terminal and location of the first terminal; and

using the master station, generating the service data as a function of the additional data so that at least one of the condition of the first terminal and the location of the first terminal are provided for during implementation of the service.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

combining at least one of the service identification, the terminal identifier, and a user identification into a single shared identifier.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

inputting service-configuration data at the master station, the service-configuration data including parameters for selecting a service usable by the first terminal and offered by the master station;

inputting at least one of the terminal identifier and a user identification of the first terminal along with the service-configuration data at the master station;

deriving the service data from the service-configuration data and storing the service data in the master station with at least one of the terminal identifier and the user identification; and

allocating a service identification to the service data and storing the service identification with the service data in the master station.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

from a second terminal, transmitting service-configuration data to the master station over a second data network, the service-configuration data including parameters for selecting a service usable by the first terminal and offered by the master station;

transmitting at least one of the terminal identifier and a user identification along with the service-configuration data to the master station;

deriving the service data from the service-configuration data and storing the service data with at least one of the terminal identifier and the user identification in the master station; and

allocating a service identification to the service data, storing the service identification with the service data in the master station and transmitting the service identification to the second terminal over the second data network.

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising the step of:

transmitting information with the service-configuration data, the information including at least one of output possibilities of the first terminal and predefinable output modes.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein:

the first data network and the second data network include a common data network.

10. The method according to claim 7, further comprising the step of:

monitoring at the first terminal a traffic situation from a current location of the first terminal to a destination of the first terminal as a function of a second destination selected at the second terminal and transmitted with the service-configuration data to a master station and as a function of the current location of the first terminal transmitted with additional data to the master station by the first terminal.

11. A terminal comprising:

a control unit, a service identification being inputtable at the control unit during an operating mode; and

a transmitter/receiver device for transmitting and receiving data over a data network, the transmitter/receiver device transmitting activation data to a master station for selecting a service allocated to the service identification after the service identification is inputted to the control unit, the activation data including the service identification and a terminal identifier, the terminal identifier identifying the terminal and indicating a type and a functionality of the terminal.

12. The terminal according to claim 11, wherein:

the terminal is one of a telephone terminal and a mobile radio unit.

13. The terminal according to claim 11, wherein:

the service identification is inputtable via a ten-key pad.

14. The terminal according to claim 11, wherein:

the transmitter/receiver device transmits a user identification with the activation data to the master station for checking authorization for using a selected service.

15. The terminal according to claim 11, further comprising:

an output unit, a selected service being outputted at the output unit after the transmitter/receiver device receives a service signal.

16. The terminal according to claim 11, further comprising:

memory, at least one service identification being stored in the memory.

17. The terminal according to claim 11, wherein:

at least one text is inputtable at the control unit;

the at least one text is allocatable to a service identification; and

the at least one text is storable in memory and outputted at an output unit after selection of the operating mode.

18. The terminal according to claim 17, wherein:

the at least one text is inputtable via an alphanumeric keyboard.

19. The terminal according to claim 17, wherein:

the at least one text stored in the memory is outputable at the output unit during the operating mode;

one of the at least one text is selectable at the control unit; and

subsequent to a selection of a text, the transmitter/receiver device transmits activation data including a service identification allocated to the selected text.

20. The terminal according to claim 11, wherein:

a request command is inputtable at the control unit;

after the request command has been inputted, the transmitter/receiver device transmits a request signal to the master station for requesting services available via the master station for the terminal, the request signal including the terminal identifier.

21. The terminal according to claim 11, wherein:

after the transmitter/receiver device receives a service-identification signal, service identifications derived from the service-identification signal are at least one of outputted at an output unit and stored in memory.

22. The terminal according to claim 21, wherein:

the service identifications are text.

23. The terminal according to claim 21, wherein:

the service identifications stored in the memory are outputable at the output unit and selectable via the control unit; and

after selection of a service identification, the transmitter/receiver device transmits activation data including the selected service identification.

24. The terminal according to claim 11, wherein:

the control unit includes at least one key, a service identification being allocatable to the at least one key;

after actuation of the at least one key, the transmitter/receiver device transmits activation data including an allocated service identification.

25. The terminal according to claim 11, wherein:

the transmitter/receiver device transmits additional data with the activation data, the additional data being generated as a function of at least one of a current condition of the terminal and location of the terminal.

26. The terminal according to claim 25, further comprising:

a receiver for receiving position signals, wherein;

the additional data includes position data derived from the position signals received by the receiver, the position data including the location of the terminal.

27. The terminal according to claim 26, wherein:

the receiver is a Global Positioning System receiver.