System and method of software transfer between a mobile phone and a mobile phone accessory

• US 7,305,254 B2
• Filed: 07/17/2003
• Issued: 12/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications USA Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications USA Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Findikli, Nadi S.
• Primary Examiner(s): D AGOSTA, STEPHEN M
• Application Number:
  US10/604,394
• Publication Number:
  US 20050014531A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,601 Days
• Field of Search: 455418-420, 455/414.1, 455/550.1, 455/556.1, 455/556.2, 455/557, 455/559, 713/168, 713/194, 709201-203, 709/231
• US Class Current: 455/557
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/445 Program loading or initiating bootstrapping G06F9/4401; security arrangements for program loading or initiating G06F21/57
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72409 by interfacing with external accessories hands-free H04M1/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/108 Source integrity

Abstract

A system and method of operating a mobile phone accessory communicable with a mobile phone. The present invention dynamically loads software into a mobile phone from a mobile phone accessory to enable better management of the accessory'"'"'s resources and capabilities. After a communication link is established between the mobile phone and mobile phone accessory, both devices exchange information to determine the appropriate software to transfer. A verification process then ensures that the mobile phone and mobile phone accessory are authorized to receive and transfer software, respectively. Subsequently, software is transferred from the mobile phone accessory to be stored in the mobile phone. The mobile phone is capable of executing the downloaded software. Specifically, the mobile phone contains the necessary API(s) and processor hardware needed to run a variety of software.

Claims

1. A method of operating a mobile phone accessory possessing one or more software programs and communicable with a mobile phone, the method comprising:

(a) establishing a short range communication link between the mobile phone and the mobile phone accessory;

(b) exchanging data between the mobile phone and the mobile phone accessory via the short range communication link, the data pertaining to the one or more software programs resident on the mobile phone accessory including;

the technical requirements of the mobile phone necessary to host and execute the one or more software programs on the mobile phone;

whether the one or more software programs are licensed for use with the mobile phone; and

whether the mobile phone is authorized to host and execute the one or more software programs to be received from the mobile phone accessory,

wherein the data is used to determine which software programs to transfer from the mobile phone accessory to the mobile phone;

(c) transferring only the one or more software programs from the mobile phone accessory to the mobile phone via the short range communication link that meet the technical, licensing, and authorization requirements necessary to host and execute the one or more software programs on the mobile phone; and

(d) verifying that the transferred software programs have not been tampered with since their creation.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising encrypting the software programs before the transferring step.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the communication link is a wireless RF link.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the communication link is a cabled link.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the communication link is an optical link.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more software programs is a Java script.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more software programs is an HTML script.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more software programs is a XML script.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more software programs is a native application specific to the mobile phone.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more software programs is a C++ script.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more software programs is a BREW script.

12. A system for operating a mobile phone accessory possessing one or more software programs and communicable with a mobile phone, the system comprising:

a physical communication layer in the mobile phone and the mobile phone accessory for providing a short range communication link between the mobile phone and the mobile phone accessory;

an accessory interaction handler within the mobile phone for;

exchanging data with the mobile phone accessory, the data pertaining to the one or more software programs resident on the mobile phone accessory including;

the technical requirements of the mobile phone necessary to host and execute the one or more software programs on the mobile phone;

whether the one or more software programs are licensed for use with the mobile phone; and

whether the mobile phone is authorized to host and execute the one or more software programs to be received from the mobile phone accessory,

wherein the data is used to determine which software programs to transfer from the mobile phone accessory to the mobile phone; and

receiving only the one or more software programs from the mobile phone accessory via the physical communication layer that meet the technical, licensing, and authorization requirements necessary to host and execute the one or more software programs on the mobile phone;

verifying that the transferred software programs have not been tampered with since their creation; and

a phone interaction handler within the mobile phone accessory for;

 

exchanging data with the mobile phone; and

transferring only the one or more software programs to the mobile phone via the physical communication layer that meet the technical, licensing, and authorization requirements necessary to host and execute the one or more software programs on the mobile phone.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the mobile phone further comprises memory for storing the software programs.

14. The system of claim 12 wherein the mobile phone further comprises at least one application program interface (API) coupled with a processor for executing the transferred software programs.

15. A mobile phone operable with a mobile phone accessory possessing one or more software programs, the mobile phone comprising:

a physical communication layer for providing a communication link between the mobile phone and the mobile phone accessory;

an accessory interaction handler for;

exchanging data with the mobile phone accessory, the data pertaining to the one or more software programs resident on the mobile phone accessory including;

the technical requirements of the mobile phone necessary to host and execute the one or more software programs on the mobile phone;

whether the one or more software programs are licensed for use with the mobile phone; and

whether the mobile phone is authorized to host and execute the one or more software programs to be received from the mobile phone accessory,

wherein the data is used to determine which software programs to transfer from the mobile phone accessory to the mobile phone;

receiving only the one or more software programs from the mobile phone accessory via the physical communication layer that meet the technical, licensing, and authorization requirements necessary to host and execute the one or more software programs on the mobile phone; and

verifiying that the transferred software programs have not been tampered with since their creation.

16. The mobile phone of claim 15 wherein the mobile phone further comprises memory for storing the transferred software programs.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein the mobile phone further comprises at least one application program interface (API) coupled with a processor for executing the software programs.

18. A system for operating a mobile phone accessory communicable with a mobile phone, the system comprising:

means for establishing a short range communication link between the mobile phone and the mobile phone accessory;

means for exchanging data between the mobile phone and the mobile phone accessory via the short range communication link, the data pertaining to the one or more software programs resident on the mobile phone accessory including;

the technical requirements of the mobile phone necessary to host and execute the one or more software programs on the mobile phone;

whether the one or more software programs are licensed for use with the mobile phone; and

whether the mobile phone is authorized to host and execute the one or more software programs to be received from the mobile phone accessory,

wherein the data is used to determine which software programs to transfer from the mobile phone accessory to the mobile phone;

means for transferring only the one or more software programs from the mobile phone accessory to the mobile phone via the short range communication link that meet the technical, licensing, and authorization requirements necessary to host and execute the one or more software programs on the mobile phone; and

means for verifying that the transferred software programs have not been tampered with since their creation.

19. The system of claim 18 further comprising means for encrypting the software programs before transferring.

20. The system of claim 18 wherein the communication link is a wireless RF link.

21. The system of claim 18 wherein the communication link is a cabled link.

22. The system of claim 18 wherein the communication link is an optical link.

23. The system of claim 18 wherein the one or more software programs is a Java script.

24. The system of claim 18 wherein the one or more software programs is an HTML script.

25. The system of claim 18 wherein the one or more software programs is a XML script.

26. The system of claim 18 wherein the one or more software programs is a native application specific to the mobile phone.

27. The system of claim 18 wherein the one or more software programs is a C++ script.

28. The system of claim 18 wherein the one or more software programs is a BREW script.