Method and system for the automatic configuration of an appliance in a communications network

• US 8,532,705 B2
• Filed: 10/22/2004
• Issued: 09/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thales DIS France SA
• Original Assignee: Gemalto SA (Thales SA)
• Inventors: Quetglas, Stephane, Dumay, Philippe
• Primary Examiner(s): Pan, Yuwen
• Assistant Examiner(s): AYOTUNDE, AYODEJI O
• Application Number:
  US10/970,390
• Publication Number:
  US 20050141438A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,245 Days
• Field of Search: 455/558
• US Class Current: 455/558
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/245 from a network towards a terminal

Abstract

A method for automatically establishing a configuration of a communication appliance functioning with a subscriber identification card in a communication network. The configuration of the appliance is established via the network, following the detection and communication of its identifier over the network by means of the card. The method includes a preliminary step in which a configuration requirement is detected by means of events or absence of an event stored in the card.

Claims

1. A method for automatically establishing a configuration of a communication appliance over a wireless network, the communication appliance having a removable subscriber identification card, the method comprising:

detecting, by the removable card, an identifier of the communication appliance;

determining, by the removable card, a configuration requirement for the communication appliance, based on the detection;

said determining of a configuration requirement for the communication appliance including determining, by the removable card, whether the communication appliance has previously been identified by the removable card;

establishing a communication between the removable card and a server to send the appliance identifier over the network to the server, based on a result of the determination; and

in response to receipt of the appliance identifier at the server, establishing a communication between the communication appliance and the server using the appliance identifier to configure the communication appliance over the network.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein determining the configuration requirement further comprises at least one test step of determining whether:

a) the communication appliance is already configured; and

b) a maximum number of configuration actions with a user has been reached.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the test step a) comprises determining whether the communication appliance has already been configured in relation to a given context.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein said context comprises at least one of an indication of a wireless network which has already been used by the communication appliance, a geographical place in which the communication appliance was situated during a prior use of the communication appliance, a type of network technology which has already been used by the communication appliance, and an operator of the wireless network which has already been used by the communication appliance.

5. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:

listing, in a memory area of the removable card, each identifier of a communication appliance with which the card has been put in relationship and at least one respective event related to a configuration of each communication appliance, wherein the at least one event includes at least one of;

whether a respective communication appliance has been configured or not;

a number of configuration actions; and

a configuration context.

6. The method according to claim 2, wherein a memory area of the removable card stores at least one event and a processor of the removable card carries out the at least one test step.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein a communication is established between the communication appliance and the server based on a remote configuration protocol supported by the communication appliance.

7. A wireless communication network system for a plurality of communication appliances, each communication appliance having a removable subscriber identification card, the system comprising:

a server for configuring the plurality of communication appliances via the wireless network,

wherein each removable subscriber identification card includes;

at least one memory area listing an identifier for at least one respective communication appliance with which each subscriber identification card has been put in relationship; and

a processor executing at least one application for determining a configuration requirement relating to at least one configuration of the respective communication appliance, wherein the determination of the configuration requirement for the communication appliance includes determining whether the communication appliance has previously been identified by the removable card, and communicating the identifier for a respective appliance to the server based on the determination,

wherein based on the communication by the processor of a respective subscriber identification card, the server establishes a communication with the respective communication appliance for configuration over the wireless network.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein a communication between the server and the respective communication appliance is established based on a remote configuration protocol supported by the communication appliance.

8. A removable subscriber identification card for cooperating with and configuring a mobile communication appliance, wherein the subscriber identification card is put into relationship with the mobile communication appliance for establishing communication service with a communication network, the card comprising:

a memory for storing program code of an application program related to a configuration of at least one communication appliance;

a processor for executing the program code of the application program related to the configuration of the mobile communication appliance in which the card has been put in relationship, determining a configuration requirement for the mobile communication appliance, said determining of the configuration requirement for the mobile communication appliance including the card determining whether the appliance has previously been identified by the processor, and communicating an identifier of the mobile communication appliance to a server on the communication network, based on the determination, to enable the server to establish a communication with the mobile communication appliance for configuring the mobile communication appliance over the communication network.

9. The subscriber identification card according to claim 8, wherein the memory area stores an identifier for the mobile communication appliance with which the card has been put in relationship and at least one respective event related to a configuration of the mobile communication appliance, wherein the at least one respective event includes at least one of:

whether the mobile communication appliance has been configured or not;

a number of configuration actions; and

a configuration context.

10. The subscriber identification card according to claim 8, wherein the configuration requirement is further determined according to at least one indication, the at least one indication including at least one of:

a type of network technology which has already been used by the mobile communication appliance; and

an operator of the wireless network which has already been used by the mobile communication appliance.