Dialing services on a mobile handset and remote provisioning therefor

• US 7,356,337 B2
• Filed: 10/17/2005
• Issued: 04/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Starhome GmbH
• Original Assignee: Starhome GmbH
• Inventors: Florence, Shahar
• Primary Examiner(s): ZEWDU, MELESS NMN
• Application Number:
  US11/250,471
• Publication Number:
  US 20060068786A1
• Time in Patent Office: 904 Days
• Field of Search: 4554321-4323, 4554351-4353, 455/422.1, 455424-425, 455433-434, 455436-451, 455/456.1, 455/456.2, 455/456.3, 455/456.5, 455/456.6, 455460-461, 455/466, 455/515, 455524-525, 455/550.1, 455557-558, 455560-561, 455415-420, 455/41.2, 455/414.1, 455/414.4, 455/551, 455/552.1, 455/553.1, 455/556.1, 455/556.2, 370/328, 370/338, 370/349, 370/396, 379/216.01, 379/355.05, 379/355.06
• US Class Current: 455/432.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27485 Appending a prefix to or inserting a pause into a dialling sequence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2757 by data transmission, e.g. downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support

Abstract

A mobile communication device such as a mobile telephone comprises: a communication management module configured to use logic in order to manage communication, for example, correct dialing sequences, translate short codes between networks, set preferences for connecting to roaming networks etc.; and an update unit which obtains data from the network in order to update the logic at the phone so that the communication management is carried out at the telephone based on dynamically updated data. The invention is particularly applicable to roaming users.

Claims

1. A mobile communication device having a home network and being able to communicate from a roaming network and use network services at said roaming network, the communication requiring connecting to said roaming network or issuing a dialing sequence, the device comprising:

a communication management module configured to use logic in order to manage said communication, wherein said logic comprises rules for modifying a dialed sequence, wherein said logic is configured to modify said dialed sequence as a function of both said roaming network being currently connected to directly and said home network of said device, wherein said dialed sequence is an assigned short code at said home network of said device and an unassigned short code at said network being currently connected to, and wherein said rules comprise modifying said dialing sequence being unassigned at said current network into a network crossing dialing sequence able to reach said home network thereby to form said home network assigned short code; and

an update unit associated with said communication management module for obtaining data in order to update said logic.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said update device further includes a database of said data to update said logic.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein said update device further comprises communication functionality for obtaining said data to update said logic from a server over said network.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein said logic comprises rules for selecting a preferred network for said device to connect thereto.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein said data comprises a preference order for selecting available networks and said data to update said logic comprises a revision of said preference order.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein said update unit is further configured to set said device to rescan for an available network following said update.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein said data to update said logic comprises a modification of said rules.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein said communication management module is configured to receive temporary control of a voice call, thereby to carry out said modifying of a dialed sequence.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein said logic is configured to modify said dialed sequence as a function of at least two of a network being currently connected to directly, a home network of said device, and a virtual private network with which said device is associated.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein said communication management module is configured to identify dialing sequences which have a first meaning at a network being currently connected to and a second meaning at a home network of said device and wherein said logic comprises at least one prioritizing rule for choosing between said first meaning and said second meaning.

11. The device of claim 1, further comprising a subscriber identity module (SIM) and wherein said communication management module is incorporated within said subscriber identity module.

12. The device of claim 1, further comprising a subscriber identity module and wherein said update unit is incorporated within said subscriber identity module.

13. The device of claim 1, having an internal operating environment, wherein said communication management module is incorporated within said internal operating environment.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein said internal operating environment is any one of the group consisting of the Java operating environment, the Brew operating environment, the Symbian operating environment, and the Windows operating environment.

15. The device of claim 1, wherein said logic further comprises an option of modifying said sequence into another short code that is assigned at said network currently being connected to.

16. A server for connection to a telephony network, said network supporting roaming telephones connected thereto, the roaming telephones each having a respective home network, the server comprising:

an update unit for sending configuration data to telephony devices connected to said telephony network, therewith to perform over the air configuration of said telephony devices, said configuration comprising providing logic, said logic comprising;

rules for modifying a dialed sequence, wherein said logic is configured to modify said dialed sequence as a function of both a network being currently connected to directly and said home network of said device wherein said dialed sequence is an assigned short code at said home network of said device and an unassigned short code at said network being currently connected to, and wherein said rules comprise modifying said dialing sequence unassigned at said current network into a network crossing dialing sequence able to reach said home network thereby to form said home network assigned short code.

17. The server of claim 16, wherein said update unit is further operable to remotely configure a manual selection option, therethrough to modify manual selection options for a respective user.

18. The server of claim 16, wherein said update unit and said configuration data are configured for interaction with a client application on a respective telephony device.

19. The server of claim 18, wherein said telephony device is a mobile telephony device.

20. The server of claim 18, wherein said client application is a communication management module configured to use logic in order to manage communication at said telephony device and wherein said configuration data is data for modifying a communication as a function of both of said telephony network and a home network of said device.

21. A mobile communication method comprising:

connecting a mobile communication device to a first roaming network, said roaming network being different from a home network to which said device is registered;

modifying an input dialing sequence using configuration logic stored at said mobile communication device, wherein said logic comprises rules for modifying a dialed sequence, wherein said logic is configured to modify said dialed sequence as a function of both a network being currently connected to directly and a home network of said device wherein said dialed sequence is an assigned short code at said home network of said device and an unassigned short code at said network being currently connected to, and wherein said rules comprise;

modifying said dialing sequence from said unassigned short code into a network-crossing dialing sequence able to reach said home network as said home network assigned short code; and

updating said configuration logic by receiving configuration data over said first network.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said modifying said input dialing sequence is a function of said first network and a second network, said second network being a home network of said mobile communication device.

23. A mobile communication method comprising:

selecting a first network from a list of network preferences located within a mobile device operating environment;

connecting a mobile communication device to said first network as a roaming network; and

updating said list by receiving configuration data over said first network into said mobile device operating environment, said configuration data comprising rules for modifying a dialed sequence, wherein said rules are configured to modify said dialed sequence as a function of both a network being currently connected to directly and a home network of said device, wherein said dialed sequence is an assigned short code at said home network of said device and an unassigned short code at said network being currently connected to, and wherein said rules comprise;

modifying said dialing sequence unassigned at said current network into a dialing sequence able to cross networks to reach said home network, thereby to form said home network assigned short code.

24. A mobile communication device able to communicate over a network and use network services, the communication requiring connecting to a network or issuing a dialing sequence, the device comprising:

a communication management module configured to use logic in order to manage said communication, wherein said logic comprises rules for modifying a dialed sequence, wherein said logic is configured to modify said dialed sequence as a function of both a roaming network being currently connected to directly and a home network of said device, said dialed sequence being an erroneous number in respect of said network being currently connected to directly, and wherein said rules comprise;

modifying said dialing sequence from said erroneous sequence into a valid international number able to cross International lines to reach a destination at a network other than said roaming network; and

an update unit associated with said communication management module for obtaining data in order to update said logic.

25. The device of claim 24, where the modifying of the dialed sequence includes adding of a prefix.