Communication terminal capable of utilizing multiple radio communication systems, and software transmitting server and IC card writer for communication software

• US 7,286,851 B2
• Filed: 07/25/2003
• Issued: 10/23/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: NTT Docomo Incorporated (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
• Inventors: Nakagomi, Hisashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Ferguson; Keith
• Application Number:
  US10/626,593
• Publication Number:
  US 20040152488A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,551 Days
• Field of Search: 455/552.1, 455/550.1, 455/553.1, 455/575.1, 455/422.1, 455/403, 455/435.1, 455/432.1, 455/414.1, 455/414.3, 455/445, 455/500, 455/517, 455/558, 455/412.1, 455/412.2, 455/551, 455/418, 455/419, 455/420, 455/426.1, 455/426.2
• US Class Current: 455/558
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/183 Processing at user equipment or user record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/245 from a network towards a terminal

Abstract

A communication terminal capable of utilizing a plurality of radio communication services respectively provided by a plurality of radio communication systems establishing a shared radio communication system is provided. The communication terminal comprises a hardware processing unit for performing common hardware processing necessary for utilizing each of the radio communication services; an IC card that stores a plurality of communication software packages necessary for respective radio communication services; a software selection unit that selects one communication software package out of the communication software packages stored in the IC card, which corresponds to a communication service to be utilized; and a software executing unit that executes the selected communication software package.

Claims

1. A communication terminal capable of utilizing a plurality of radio communication services respectively provided by a plurality of radio communication systems establishing a shared radio communication system, comprising:

a hardware processing unit configured to perform common hardware processing necessary for utilizing the radio communication services;

an IC card configured to store a plurality of communication software packages necessary for the respective radio communication services;

a software selection unit configured to select one communication software package out of the communication software packages stored in the IC card for utilizing the specified and identified communication service;

a software executing unit configured to execute the selected communication software package; and

a software acquisition unit configured to acquire via a network another communication software package stored in a remote server provided in the shared communication system.

2. The communication terminal as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the communication software package stored in the IC card comprises a software program relating to signal transmission/reception, a software program relating to signal modulation/demodulation and a software program relating to application.

3. The communication terminal as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the software selection unit comprises a software reading unit configured to read the selected one of the communication software packages stored in the IC card, the selected one corresponding to the communication service to be utilized.

4. A software transmitting server, comprising:

a software storing unit configured to store a plurality of communication software packages respectively necessary for utilizing a plurality of communication services respectively provided by a plurality of radio communication systems;

a software transmitting unit configured to transmit via a core network the stored communication software packages to a communication terminal; and

a software acquisition unit configured to acquire via a network another communication software package stored in a remote server provided in a shared communication system,

wherein the software transmitting unit is further configured to to read out a communication software package necessary for utilizing the identified communication service from the software storing unit.

5. An IC card writing apparatus, comprising:

a software storing unit configured to store a plurality of communication software packages respectively necessary for utilizing a plurality of communication services respectively provided by a plurality of radio communication systems; and

a software writing unit configured to write via a core network the stored communication software packages to an IC card to be attached to a communication terminal; and

a software acquisition unit configured to acquire via a network another communication software package stored in a remote server provided in a shared communication system,

wherein the software writing unit is configured to read out a communication software package necessary for utilizing the identified communication service from the software storing unit, and to write it into the IC card.