U.S. patent application number 08/978466 was filed with the patent office on 2001-08-09 for controlling mobile phone system user views from the world-wide web.
Invention is credited to ERIKSSON, MICHAEL, HALL, HANS.
Application Number | 20010012281 08/978466 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 25526116 |
Filed Date | 2001-08-09 |
United States Patent
Application |
20010012281 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
HALL, HANS ; et al. |
August 9, 2001 |
CONTROLLING MOBILE PHONE SYSTEM USER VIEWS FROM THE WORLD-WIDE
WEB
Abstract
A method and system are disclosed whereby a mobile phone user
can select one or more service preferences for the mobile phone
from a simulated mobile phone display on an Internet web page. The
user can access the web page from a personal or business computer.
Once the selection has been made, the user can save the preferences
to a server in the mobile phone network. The server contains (or
provides links to) the full complement of services that are
available for selection. The selected services' applications are
downloaded from the server to the mobile phone (via the network)
either immediately (if a network connection is already made) or the
next time the phone is turned on. Consequently, the user can
readily obtain the services desired, and also customize the display
and "look and feel" of the mobile phone.
Inventors: |
HALL, HANS; (UPPSALA,
SE) ; ERIKSSON, MICHAEL; (SOLNA, SE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
RICHARD J MOURA
JENKENS AND GILCHRIST
3200 FOUNTAIN PLACE
1445 ROSS AVENUE
DALLAS
TX
752022799
|
Family ID: |
25526116 |
Appl. No.: |
08/978466 |
Filed: |
November 25, 1997 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
370/338 ;
709/219 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04M 7/12 20130101; H04Q
3/0033 20130101; H04M 1/72406 20210101; H04M 1/72445 20210101; H04M
1/72448 20210101 |
Class at
Publication: |
370/338 ;
709/219 |
International
Class: |
H04L 012/66; H04L
012/28 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A method for selecting services for use in a phone in a mobile
network, comprising the steps of: accessing a web site on an
Internet, said web site including a display of at least one of a
plurality of phone services; selecting a service from said display
of at least one of a plurality of phone services; saving said
service in a database associated with said mobile network; and
downloading an application associated with said service from said
database to said phone.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the downloading step comprises
downloading at least one preference change for an application
residing in said phone.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein said preference change comprises
at least a change to an image for display.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the accessing step comprises
using a browser to access a web page on the WWW.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein said downloading step comprises
downloading said application when said phone is turned on.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein said downloading step comprises
downloading said application at a predetermined time.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein said saving and downloading steps
comprise: saving a service profile in said database; and
downloading at least one application associated with said service
profile from said database to said phone.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein said phone comprises a mobile
phone.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting, saving, and
downloading steps comprise: deselecting a service from said display
of at least one of a plurality of phone services; saving an
identity of said service in a database associated with said mobile
network; downloading said identity of said service from said
database to said phone; and deleting said service from use in said
phone.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein the downloading step comprises
setting up a connection to said phone; and downloading said
application from said database to said phone via said
connection.
11. The method of claim 1, wherein said display comprises a virtual
display for said phone.
12. A system for use in selecting services for a phone in a mobile
network, comprising: a web site including a display of at least one
of a plurality of phone services; means for selecting a service
from said display of at least one of a plurality of phone services,
coupled to said web site; a database coupled to said mobile network
and said web site, for saving said selected service; and means for
downloading an application associated with said service from said
database to said phone.
13. The system of claim 12, wherein said selecting means includes a
browser.
14. The system of claim 12, wherein said downloading means includes
a server coupled between a WWW and a mobile services switching
center in said mobile network.
15. The system of claim 12, wherein said service comprises part of
a service profile associated with said phone.
16. The system of claim 12, wherein said phone comprises a mobile
phone.
17. The system of claim 12, wherein said display comprises a
virtual display for said phone.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Technical Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates in general to the
telecommunications field and, in particular, to a method and system
for using the World-Wide Web (WWW) to define certain mobile phone
services a user may desire (or needs) to see on a mobile phone
display.
[0003] 2. Description of Related Art
[0004] Existing telephone systems typically offer a multitude of
complicated services to users. However, the users typically are
interested in only relatively few of the services being offered. In
that regard, the GF788 mobile phone system manufactured by
Telefonaktiebolaget L M Ericsson allows a user to decide just what
items are to be shown in the mobile phone's menu display, and input
that information directly into the phone. On the other hand, some
existing mobile phone systems require the use of a graphical user
interface for a computer to determine what type of "lowlevel" phone
services a particular mobile phone will provide. An example of such
a "low-level" phone service is a routing service that forwards a
call from one phone to another depending on the identity of the
party who placed the call.
[0005] A problem encountered with the existing mobile phone systems
is that users now want to decide for themselves just what services
will be displayed on their mobile phones. These services can be
"low-level" or "high-level" services (e.g., services displayed on a
so-called "Smart-phone"), such as an analog or digital clock
display, or a calendar display, etc. Also, users want to be able to
customize the display of these services to meet their own special
needs. As such, some users want to be able to design the "look and
feel" for their own mobile phones. However, existing mobile phone
systems either do not provide these user viewing capabilities or
they are provided in inconsistent and inconvenient ways. As
described below, the present invention successfully resolves these
problems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present
invention, a mobile phone user can select one or more service
preferences for the mobile phone from a simulated mobile phone
display on an Internet web page. The user can access the web page
from a personal or business computer. Once the selection has been
made, the user can save the preferences to a server in the mobile
phone network. The server contains (or provides links to) the full
complement of services that are available for selection. The
selected services' applications are downloaded from the server to
the mobile phone (via the network) either immediately (if a network
connection is already made) or the next time the phone is turned
on. Consequently, the user can readily obtain the services desired,
and also customize the display and "look and feel" of the mobile
phone.
[0007] An important technical advantage of the present invention is
that users can conveniently view and obtain the exact services they
desire for their mobile phones.
[0008] Another important technical advantage of the present
invention is that users can readily access the WWW to view and
select the services they desire to use on their mobile phones.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] A more complete understanding of the method and apparatus of
the present invention may be had by reference to the following
detailed description when taken in conjunction with the
accompanying drawings wherein:
[0010] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an exemplary system that can be
used to implement a method for using an Internet to select and
control mobile phone user views, in accordance with a preferred
embodiment of the present invention; and
[0011] FIG. 2 is a flow diagram that illustrates the exemplary
method implemented in the system of FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] The preferred embodiment of the present invention and its
advantages are best understood by referring to FIGS. 1-2 of the
drawings, like numerals being used for like and corresponding parts
of the various drawings.
[0013] Essentially, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of
the present invention, a mobile phone user can select one or more
service preferences for the mobile phone from a simulated mobile
phone display on an Internet page. For this embodiment, the page
can be a WWW web page. The user can access the web page from a
personal or business computer. Once the selection has been made,
the user can save the preferences to a server in the mobile phone
network. The server contains (or provides links to) the full
complement of services that are available for selection. The
selected services are downloaded as applications from the server to
the mobile phone (via the network) either immediately (if a network
connection is already made) or the next time the phone is turned
on. Consequently, the user can readily obtain the services desired,
and also customize the display and "look and feel" of the mobile
phone.
[0014] Specifically, FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an exemplary
system (10) that can be used to implement a method for using an
Internet to select and control mobile phone user views, in
accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a flow diagram that illustrates the exemplary method.
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, at step 102 of method 100, the user or
subscriber (or agent of the user/subscriber) of mobile phone 12
starts a conventional browser with computer 24. Computer 24 can be
any type of conventional computer (e.g., personal computer, laptop,
notebook, medium size, general purpose computer, etc.) that
provides access via a data link 32 to an Internet 20, such as the
WWW. At step 104, the user directs the browser (typically by
"clicking" on a link or typing in a Universal Resource Locator or
URL) to a mobile phone services front page. If the Internet 20
being accessed is the WWW, then the browser can be directed to a
mobile phone services web page. The content of the mobile phone
services web page can be provided by the user's mobile phone
network operator (or some third party that can provide such
services for the operator) and stored in a database 22 associated
with the Internet service provider (ISP). As such, instead of
having to access the web site directly on the Internet, the browser
can access an "extranet" server that can be used as a "mirror" of
the web site. The "mirror" server can be connected to different
databases (including, for example, a mobile phone services
database). However, these databases are preferably consistent in
type and format, etc. Nevertheless, the format of the mobile phone
services web page does not have to be completely consistent with
such databases. In other words, there can be slightly different
lists of applications on a number of different web pages.
[0015] For this embodiment, the mobile phone services web page
preferably includes a virtual display (e.g., identical to display
26 as viewed on the monitor of computer 24), which simulates (or
even emulates) the display of the mobile phone 12. For example, the
virtual display (26) can look substantially the same, and have the
same proportions, as the "real" display (12). Also, the web page
preferably includes a list of applications and/or services that can
be provided for the user. These applications may or may not be run
as part of the mobile phone display simulation (if an application
is a "Java" application, it can be run as part of the simulation).
It is also possible for one or more third party developers to
publish their applications on this mobile phone services web page.
Additionally, this web page preferably includes pertinent control
buttons, such as, for example, a "save" button, "cancel" button,
"delete" button, etc.
[0016] At step 106, the user can select (or deselect) from the web
page list of applications and/or services the specific applications
and/or services to display and use (or not display and use) on the
user's mobile phone 12. For example, the user can move a mouse 25
to "drag" an application and/or service from the list to a
particular position on the display 26. In a windows-type
environment, the so-selected application and/or service can be
displayed as a complete window or an icon. Alternatively, the user
can "click" on an icon on the display 26, which represents a
particular application and/or service, and "drag" the window that
appears to an appropriate location on that display. For example,
this feature is useful if the user desires to display a small clock
application (as shown in the display 26) at the same time a
calculator is being displayed and used. Note that if the user has
previously configured the display for mobile phone 12 (or, for
example, a default configuration is displayed), the applications
that are already displayed on the mobile phone 12 also appear on
the virtual display 26. Consequently, the user can use the virtual
display to deselect or delete one or more of those previous
applications.
[0017] At step 108, when the user decides to save the service
profile (preferences selected and/or deselected), the user can
"click" on the "save" button shown on display 26. At step 110, the
browser conveys the resulting services profile from the computer 24
to the Internet 20. The Internet 20 then conveys the services
profile to a server (e.g., including a profile database) 18 that
preferably maintains all users' service profiles via the data
connections 32 and 30. for example, these data connections can
carry out communications in accordance with the TCP/IP protocol. At
step 112, the server (profile database) 18 is updated with the new
service profile for the user of mobile phone 12. Although this
exemplary embodiment shows a single service profile database (18),
a distributed type of database (e.g., multiple associated databases
and servers) can be used.
[0018] At step 114, the profile server 18 communicates with a
mobile services switching center (MSC) 16 in the mobile phone
network using, for example, the framework for the mobile
application part (MAP) protocol. In this illustrative case, the
mobile phone network can be a Global System for Mobile
Communications (GSM) network. As such, the server 18 can check with
the MSC 16 and determine if the mobile phone 12 is turned on (or,
alternatively, whether the user has the phone turned off). In this
regard, the mobile phone 12 can be a mobile radiotelephone, a fixed
telephone operating in a mobile network, a wireless computer with
telephone capabilities, etc. Note that the type of telephone
capability used for phone 12 is not intended to so limit the
present invention, as long as the telephone capability used
includes an appropriate user service display. If, at step 114, the
server 18 determines from the MSC 16 that the mobile phone 12 is
not turned on, then at step 116, the server 18 regularly polls the
MSC 16 until information is received that the phone is turned
on.
[0019] If the phone 12 is turned on, at step 118, the server 18
checks the preferences set by the user to determine if the service
application(s) should be downloaded immediately, or if the user has
selected to initiate the downloading. For example, at step 120, the
server 18 could download the service application(s) late at night
when the user is not using the phone 12. Alternatively, the server
18 could send a message to the mobile phone 12 via the MSC 16, the
base station (BS) 14, and the air interface 28, which informs the
user (preferably by the phone's display) that a new version of an
existing service application is available for downloading. The user
can thus determine whether or not to have the new version
downloaded, preferably using a "smart" versioning system, such as,
for example, Marimba's Castanet.TM..
[0020] At step 122, when the user decides to have new application
software downloaded, the server 18 prompts the MSC 16 to set up a
call connection between the server 18 and the mobile phone 12.
Preferably, for this embodiment, at step 124, the software code is
downloaded through this connection. A processor in the mobile phone
installs the downloaded application software in the phone. For
example, the application software being executed in the mobile
phone can comprise an operating system with Java functionality. In
other words, the mobile phone 12 would then have a Java Virtual
Machine implemented either in software or hardware.
[0021] Also, the mobile phone 12 preferably includes a cache
(memory) where the applications for the installed services are
stored. If the cache becomes filled, the user can be so informed by
looking at the display, and the user (or the server 18) can choose
whether or not to delete some of the resident applications.
Notably, it is possible that the user may desire to run an
application that is not presently installed on the phone 12. In
that case, the application can be fetched from the server 18 (or
from a database at a different location from the server) in
real-time.
[0022] Although a preferred embodiment of the method and apparatus
of the present invention has been illustrated in the accompanying
Drawings and described in the foregoing Detailed Description, it
will be understood that the invention is not limited to the
embodiment disclosed, but is capable of numerous rearrangements,
modifications and substitutions without departing from the spirit
of the invention as set forth and defined by the following
claims.
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