Patent Grant
8392544
The invention relates generally to a method and device for querying data by making a data call between a service facility and a communications module over a communications network.
US 2002/0112047 A1 describes a method, system and computer program product providing the capability to manage, control and configure a mobile radio telephone device over a mobile radio telephone network. This mobile radio telephone network has a server and the mobile radio telephone device. A communicative connection between the server and the mobile radio telephone device is sent over the communicative connection and executed by the mobile radio telephone device.
Communications modules are fitted inter alia into cars, machines and systems which are not under direct human supervision and may be remotely installed. In this case, a communications module can be a mobile radio telephone module in a cellular communications network, for example. Functionalities such as telephoning using handsfree equipment, automatic PCs with permanent access to the internet or intranet, fax, fleet management, automatic emergency calls, programmed diagnostic functions, dynamic navigation, local information services, on-board games and MP3 downloads are available with a mobile radio telephone module of this kind.
However, maintenance work for the commissioning of such communications modules can be very complicated, since there is usually no direct access to a data link. The remote maintenance of a communications module can at present be carried out only by means of an additional circuit in the form of an external microcontroller.
An object of the present invention is to propose an efficient and low-cost way of interrogating and remotely maintaining a communications module. A data query sent by a service facility over the communications network is forwarded from a first interface unit to a further interface unit of a communications module. There the data query is interpreted into at least one control command. An evaluation unit generates response data for the data query, according to the interpretation result, which is sent to the service facility via the first interface unit.
Here a service facility can, for example, be a central maintenance and commissioning unit belonging to an operator of the communications modules. One advantage of the present invention is that no additional electronic components such as for instance an external microcontroller are required to control the communications module and that a very cost-effective solution can thus be achieved. Furthermore, the present invention will make it is possible for a communications module to be maintained and commissioned by a central facility. A further advantage is that the location of the communications module can be easily identified. Additionally features and advantages of the present invention are described in, and will be apparent from, the following Detailed Description of the Invention and the figures that follow. The invention is explained in more detail with reference to an exemplary embodiment shown in the figures.
However, communications modules such as an ISDN module, a DECT module and/or an HSCSD module for instance which can be implemented in a fixed line network could also be used. Similar communications modules are similarly conceivable. Here the data call from a service facility is accepted by the communications module KM by means of automatic call acceptance. A circuit switched data call is available in many mobile radio telephone terminals and is referred to as a CSD call (Circuit Switched Data), while a circuit switched speech call is referred to as a CSS call (Circuit Switched Speech). Data queries can be related to the location of the communications module, the battery level, the signal strength, telephone book entries, temperature values, operating parameters, etc.
A service facility can also ask for cell information and neighboring cell information which can then, for example, be evaluated by tracking systems. The data query is forwarded via a serial crossover data circuit NMK from the first interface unit CSD having the port ASCO to a further interface unit AT having the port ASC1. In the further interface unit AT, the data query is interpreted into at least one control command. According to the interpretation result, an evaluation unit AE can then send a data response to the interrogating service facility via the first interface unit CSD. In this case, the evaluation unit AE, for example a microcontroller, can be integrated into the further interface unit AT or can be a separate unit in a communications module KM.
One solution could be to permit the forwarding of a data stream to the further interface unit AT only for specifically predefined telephone numbers, with the result that this function becomes active only when the service facility calls the communications module KM.
It should be understood that various changes and modifications to the presently preferred embodiments described herein will be appear to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention and without diminishing its intended advantages. It is, therefore, intended that such changes and modifications be covered b the appended claims.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP03/09230 | 8/20/2003 | WO | 00 | 1/23/2007 |
| Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| WO2005/029893 | 3/31/2005 | WO | A |
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| 7321929 | Rolfe | Jan 2008 | B2 |
| 7372957 | Strathmeyer et al. | May 2008 | B2 |
| 20020112047 | Kushwaha et al. | Aug 2002 | A1 |
| 20020165952 | Sewell et al. | Nov 2002 | A1 |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20080028056 A1 | Jan 2008 | US |
