The present invention relates to wireless telecommunications.
In some known wireless telecommunications systems, such as those operating Wireless Application Protocol (“WAP”), there is the idea of considering terminal capabilities. Information of these capabilities can be registered within a Terminal Capabilities database for ease of access. The Terminal Capabilities database keeps records of characteristics of terminals, such as screen size and memory available. This information is stored at the time that the terminal is configured and handed out to a user ready for use in a wireless telecommunications network. This can be at the start of a user subscription to a network of a service provider, or when the terminal is replaced as part of an on-going contract between a user and service provider. This information is used in software controlled services, often referred to in this field as applications. For example the screen size information is used by applications such that high-resolution images are not transmitted to user terminals having screens that are small and of a low resolution.
In the field of wireless telecommunications, terminals, such as mobile phones, are evolving. For example there are now terminals, such as J2ME (Java 2 Micro Edition) terminals and BREW (Binary Runtime for Wireless) terminals, that support execution of programs within the terminal. Other known terminals are being built which have operating systems (“OS”) that were previously only used in computers proper. Whilst still somewhat simplified compared to comparable systems on computers, what can be done with such operating systems on wireless terminals has increased.
J2ME terminals, BREW terminals, and terminals with operating systems can be upgraded or altered from time to time with new software, for example transmitted by radio. Accordingly, such terminals can be considered “soft terminals” in that their capabilities can be changed by such software downloads. These downloads allow an evolving range of applications to be supported.
The inventors realised that when the capabilities of a terminal are enhanced, be it through software download or by connecting hardware components, the information in the terminal capabilities database can be, and should be, updated.
An example of the present invention is a method of providing a telecommunications service to a wireless telecommunications terminal. This is by receiving an indication that capability of the terminal has changed. A record in a database is then updated as to the change. The database is inspected so as to provide a telecommunications service that is adapted using the updated record to the terminal's changed capability.
Another example is a method of receiving a telecommunications service. This includes the step of replacing or upgrading a component of a wireless telecommunications terminal so as to change the capability of the terminal. A notification of the change in capability of the terminal is sent. A telecommunications service adapted to the changed capability is received.
The inventors realised that manufacturers of mobile terminals could develop plug-in hardware components, other than just headset attachments as available today, for example screens, memories and keypads. The terminal could run an operating system with appropriate software such that both software and hardware components can be upgraded “on the fly”—e.g., during the lifetime of use by the user.
Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the drawings, in which:
The drawings are not to scale but are schematic representations.
Before describing the embodiments in detail, we first describe a known system for ease of comparison. As shown in
The inventors realised that in the known system the terminal capabilities database was not updated if the terminal's capabilities changed, for example due to a software upgrade or replacement of a plug-in component of the terminal.
Example System
Turning now to an embodiment of the invention, as shown in
The terminal capabilities database 220 records characteristics of terminals, such as screen size and memory available. This information is stored initially at the time that the terminal is configured and handed out to a user ready for use.
Referring now to
In this example, the terminal 200 is BREW capable, and the image which user first sees on his terminal 200 is a postcard of such poor quality that the user chooses new software 230′ of browser software able to display 32-bit colour images. This is downloaded from the download server 218 of a BREW Distribution System (“BDS”). From inspection of the updated database 220 the application 222 sends an image of the postcard with the same resolution as previously, but this time in colour.
In a second example, a notional user called Alice buys a new wireless terminal 300 which is shown in
Before use, the network operator with which Alice has her contract for mobile telecommunications services stores, in a terminal capabilities database TCDB 320 parameter values describing the terminal's capabilities, in view of the screen, keypad, camera etc selected.
When Alice turns on her phone, the software 330 configures itself, for example by software-drivers for the particular components being downloaded by radio and the terminal 300 becoming ready for use. The terminal registers with the network by the main processor 302 causing an appropriate registration message to be sent from the terminal 300 to a further database 321, known as an Equipment Identity Register EIR, in the network 316.
Alice swaps various peripheral components of her terminal 300, such as the screen 306, camera 314, keypad 310 and antenna 308 “on the fly”—e.g., herself and practically immediately, in contrast to needing to send the terminal for upgrade by another). If she wants to send email, for example, she may simply pull off the low specification keypad and plug in a more sophisticated keypad, for example a 128-key folding keypad. She does not need to power down or stop a call connection with the network 316 during this change of keypad.
As the terminal's capabilities have changed, the network 316 is to be informed so that applications, such as application 322 shown in
The terminal capabilities database TCDB 320 is similarly updated where upgrades to the software 330 running in the terminal 300 causes improvements or changes in the terminal's capabilities. Alice can download new software, such as a media player for example, to her terminal and execute that software in the course of accessing services. For example, Alice could download a H.264 coder-decoder program and use this to send more efficiently encoded media data streams in peer-to-peer video applications, e.g. to send video clips of her best friend's wedding to an aunt overseas. The terminal 300, in particular its main processor 302, causes an update notification to be sent to the network 316.
Software is downloaded from a download server 318 which monitors and charges the user for software downloads made. The terminal can be granted a limited license for use of the software, for example a limited number of uses or time period of use, after which the network 316 will not interact with that software. Some further options and variants In another embodiment, the terminal can be a J2ME (Java 2 Micro Edition) terminal that can download software from download servers known as Java Vending Machines (JSR-124). In another embodiment, the terminal can be a BREW (Binary Runtime for Wireless) terminal that can download software from a download server known as a Brew Distribution System (“BDS”).
The terminal capabilities database TCDB can, in some embodiments, send messages to interested parties, or applications subscribed to by the user, that the user's terminal capabilities, be they in terms of hardware, firmware or software, have changed.
In some embodiments, for example as shown in
General
The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes that come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.