Fetching application and driver for extension device from network

• US 7,062,260 B2
• Filed: 03/27/2003
• Issued: 06/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ironworks Patents LLC
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Vuori, Petri
• Primary Examiner(s): Tieu, Benny Quoc
• Application Number:
  US10/402,374
• Publication Number:
  US 20040192274A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,174 Days
• Field of Search: 455/418, 455/556.1, 455/556.2, 455/557, 455419-420, 455558-559
• US Class Current: 455/418
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4415 Self describing peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided so that a mobile terminal will obtain an application for an accessory of the mobile terminal from a telecommunications network. The mobile terminal includes an accessory interface, responsive to connection with the accessory, for providing an accessory identification to a processing unit within the mobile terminal. The processing unit makes an accessory application inquiry to an accessory application memory within the mobile terminal. The memory provide information regarding a stored application, and then the processing unit makes an application request to a network, if the information indicates status of the stored application is inadequate.

Claims

1. A mobile terminal capable of obtaining an application for an accessory of the mobile terminal from a telecommunications network, comprising:

an accessory interface, responsive to connection with the accessory, for providing an accessory identification signal;

a processing unit, responsive to the accessory identification signal, for providing an accessory application inquiry signal; and

an accessory application memory, responsive to the accessory application inquiry signal, for providing an accessory application information signal,

wherein the processing unit is also for providing an application request signal if the accessory application information signal has a magnitude indicative that a status of a stored application is inadequate, and

wherein the mobile terminal further comprises a transceiver responsive to the application request signal, for communicating with the network and receiving an application delivery signal,

wherein the status depends at least upon whether the stored application has been present in the accessory application memory for more than a threshold of time.

2. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the accessory identification signal is triggered by connecting the accessory to the accessory interface, or by manual operation of a user after the accessory is connected.

3. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the transceiver is responsive by placing a network connection to an address read from the accessory, and wherein the application delivery signal provides an accessory application downloaded from the address.

4. The mobile terminal of claim 3, wherein the accessory is convertible to a different accessory corresponding to a different accessory application.

5. The mobile terminal of claim 4, wherein a different address is read from the different accessory.

6. The mobile terminal of claim 4, wherein the different accessory application is stored in an accessory memory located in the accessory.

7. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein if the status is inadequate then the memory is for storing the accessory application downloaded from the address.

8. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the accessory has insufficient memory to store the accessory application.

9. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the application is obtained either automatically or when a user wants the application to be obtained.

10. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the transceiver is also for finding out if a new version of the application is or will be available from the network, and wherein the status of the stored application is affected by availability of the new version.

11. The mobile terminal of claim 10, wherein the mobile terminal is configured to find out the availability automatically on a regular basis or when a user chooses.

12. A method of obtaining an application for a mobile terminal accessory from a telecommunications network, comprising the steps of:

identifying the accessory,

checking a memory to determine a status of a stored application corresponding to the accessory,

running the accessory application from the memory if the status is adequate,

downloading the accessory application from a network if the status is inadequate,

wherein the status depends at least upon whether the stored application has been present in the accessory application memory for more than a threshold of time.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the method is triggered by connecting the accessory to the accessory interface, or by manual operation of a user after the accessory is connected.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of downloading the accessory application entails placing a network connection to an address read from the accessory.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the accessory is convertible to a different accessory corresponding to a different accessory application.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein a different address is read from the different accessory.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the different accessory application is stored in an accessory memory.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising the following steps if the status is inadequate:

storing the accessory application downloaded from the network in the memory, and

running the accessory application from the memory.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the accessory has insufficient memory to store the accessory application.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the application is obtained either automatically or when a user wants the application to be obtained.

21. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of finding out if a new version of the application is or will be available from the network, and wherein the status of the stored application is affected by availability of the new version.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the step of finding out is automatically performed on a regular basis or when a user chooses.