System and method for automatically downloading software applications to a remote terminal

• US 7,139,551 B2
• Filed: 01/19/2002
• Issued: 11/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sasken Communication Technologies Limited
• Original Assignee: Sasken Communication Technologies Limited
• Inventors: Jamadagni, Nanjunda Swamy Satish
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung, Nay
• Assistant Examiner(s): PEREZ, ANGELICA
• Application Number:
  US10/054,357
• Publication Number:
  US 20030143988A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,767 Days
• Field of Search: 455/418, 455/412.1, 455/412.2, 455/456.1, 455/456.3, 455/412, 455/414.3, 709217-219, 705/14
• US Class Current: 455/412.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72406 by software upgrading or downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/052 software update
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/053 remote terminal provisioning, e.g. of applets
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/14 with services dependent on location where the service is an information service H04M2242/15; services independent of location H04M3/42229
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 Determination of the location of a subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42229 Personal communication services, i.e. services related to one subscriber independent of his terminal and/or location diverting calls from one subscriber to another subscriber, i.e. two different subscriptions H04M3/54; selecting arrangements in intelligent networks H04Q3/005
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/245 from a network towards a terminal

Abstract

A system for automatically downloading radio or protocol personalities over defined channels to a mobile terminal. The system includes an adaptable terminal, a spatial location service for providing geographic location information to the associated terminal, at least one component repository, and a server directory.

The component repository includes at least one downloadable component and a service template that defines the service attributes of said downloadable component, The terminal includes a location module in communication with the spatial location service to define the geographic location of the mobile terminal. A User Agent for locates downloadable components in the defined geographic location using a service request that enumerates the service needs of mode attributes.

Claims

1. A system for automatically downloading radio or protocol personalities over defined channels to a mobile terminal in a wide area network, the system comprising:

an adaptable terminal, a spatial location service for providing geographic location information to said terminal, at least one component repository, and a download server,

the component repository including at least one downloadable component and further including a service template that defines the service attributes of said downloadable component,

said adaptable terminal including a location module in communication with the spatial location service to define the geographic location of the mobile terminal,

the terminal further including a User Agent for locating downloadable components in the defined geographic location using a service request that enumerates the service needs of mode attributes,

the server directory including a listing of service templates of component repositories in a defined geographic location and a Service Agent for communicating with said component depositories and User Agents,

wherein said User Agent queries said Service Agent in the defined geographic location and neighboring locations to locate service components that match the terminals service need attributes such that when a matching component is located said terminal automatically downloads said component to said terminal.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the service template is machine and human understandable.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the service template further comprises rules for service advertisement attributes.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the service template further comprises a scope list.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the service template further comprises a predicate string.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the service template further comprises a Service Location Protocol string.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the service request further comprises a template.

8. A method for downloading a component from a communication network to a mobile terminal, comprising the steps of:

determining at a location server of the communication network a projected geographic area where the mobile terminal will be at a future time;

identifying at a user agent of the communication network a protocol mode component and service attributes of the protocol mode component that is supported in the projected geographic area;

determining at the mobile terminal whether the protocol mode component and compatible service attributes match service needs of the mobile terminal;

sending a request for the protocol mode component from the mobile terminal to the network, if the protocol mode component matches the service needs of the mobile terminal;

requesting a directory agent to identify a service agent in the communication network that can communicate with a component repository, wherein the directory agent includes a listing of service agents and wherein the component repository includes the protocol mode component;

receiving the protocol mode component at the service agent from the component repository;

receiving the protocol mode component at the user agent from the service agent;

sending the protocol mode component from the user agent to the mobile terminal; and

,

downloading the protocol mode component at the mobile terminal before the mobile terminal enters the projected geographic area.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising creating a service template, and populating the service template with at least one of projected geographic area information, information identifying the protocol mode component and the compatible service attributes, and information identifying the service needs of the mobile terminal.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the population step further comprises populating the service template at at least one of the location server, the user agent, and the mobile terminal.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the populating step further comprises populating the service template with the projected geographic area information at the location server, populating the service template with the information identifying the protocol mode component and compatible service attributes at the user agent, and populating the service template with the information identifying the service needs at the mobile terminal.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the request further includes a service template.

13. A system for downloading components from a communication network to a mobile terminal, comprising:

a mobile terminal including a location module,

a location server in communication with the location module and configured to determine where a projected geographic area of the mobile terminal will be at a future time;

a user agent that is configured to identify a protocol mode component and service attributes compatible with the protocol mode component that is supported in the projected geographic area;

a component repository including the protocol mode component;

service agents, wherein at least one of the service agents is in communication with the component repository; and

,

a directory agent including a listing of the service agents, wherein the mobile terminal is configured to send a service request to the user agent for the protocol mode component, if the protocol mode component matches service needs of the terminal;

wherein the user agent is in communication with the at least one service agent and the directory agent, the user agent being configured to receive the protocol mode component from the at least one service agent, and the user agent being configured to send the protocol mode component to the mobile terminal, wherein the mobile terminal is configured to download the protocol mode component.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein at least one of the location server, the user agent and the mobile terminal configured to create a service template.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein at least one of the location server, the user agent, and the mobile terminal is configured to populate the service template.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the service template is configured to store at least one of projected geographic area information, information identifying the protocol mode component and the compatible service attributes, and information identifying the service needs of the mobile terminal.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the communication network further comprises a base station, the base station including the location server and the user agent.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the user agent is configured to contact the directory agent to determine which of the service agents includes the protocol mode component.