Communication terminal capable of utilizing multiple radio communication systems, and software transmitting server and IC card writer for communication software

A communication terminal capable of utilizing a plurality of radio communication services respectively provided by a plurality of radio communication systems establishing a shared radio communication system is provided. The communication terminal comprises a hardware processing unit for performing common hardware processing necessary for utilizing each of the radio communication services; an IC card that stores a plurality of communication software packages necessary for respective radio communication services; a software selection unit that selects one communication software package out of the communication software packages stored in the IC card, which corresponds to a communication service to be utilized; and a software executing unit that executes the selected communication software package.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention generally relates to a shared radio communication system established by a plurality of radio communication systems, communication terminals capable of utilizing each of radio communication services provided by such a plurality of radio communication systems, and IC card writers for writing radio communication software into IC cards to be attached to communication terminals.

2. Description of the Related Art

A variety of radio communication systems have been developed recently. These radio communication systems provide different services and have different service areas. Accordingly users have to use different communication terminals in order to utilize different radio communication systems. It is, however, inconvenient to carry a plurality of communication terminals, and therefore one communication terminal (referred to as “shared communication terminal” hereinafter) that can be shared or can be commonly used for a plurality of radio communication systems has been developed recently.

Such conventional shared communication terminals, however, have one hardware set that can be commonly used for a plurality of predetermined radio communication systems. The conventional shared communication terminals cannot be utilized for other radio communication systems for which the built-in hardware is not compatible.

Radio communication software packages necessary for utilizing each communication service are pre-installed in the conventional communication terminals and cannot be rewritten. Therefore, users have to purchase a new communication terminal in order to utilize a new communication service provided by a new radio communication system.

One another approach is shown in Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 11-73095, in which a converter provided between a base station and communication terminals is used for a plurality of radio communication services. In this technology, a special converter is provided separately from communication terminals, introducing complexity and inconvenience.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is one object of the present invention to provide a communication terminal that is capable of easily utilizing a plurality of radio communication services respectively provided by a plurality of radio communication systems establishing a shared radio communication system.

Another and more specific object of the present invention is to provide a communication terminal capable of utilizing a plurality of radio communication services respectively provided by a plurality of radio communication systems establishing a shared radio communication system, comprising: a hardware processing unit for performing common hardware processing necessary for utilizing the radio communication services; an IC card that stores a plurality of communication software packages necessary for the respective radio communication services; a software selection unit that selects one communication software package out of the communication software packages stored in the IC card, which corresponds to a communication service to be utilized; and a software executing unit that executes the selected communication software package.

The communication software package stored in the IC card can comprise a software program relating to signal transmission/reception, a software program relating to signal modulation/demodulation and a software program relating to application.

The communication terminal can further comprise a software acquisition unit that acquires a communication software package stored in a server provided in the shared communication system.

The software selection unit can comprise a software reading unit that reads a communication software package out of the communication software packages stored in the IC card, which corresponds to a communication service to be utilized.

Another object of the invention is to provide a software transmitting server, comprising: a software storing unit that stores a plurality of software packages respectively necessary for utilizing a plurality of communication services respectively provided by a plurality of radio communication systems; and a software transmitting unit that transmits the stored communication software packages to a communication terminal.

A further object of the invention is to provide an IC card writing apparatus, comprising: a software storing unit that stores the software packages respectively necessary for utilizing the communication services respectively provided by a plurality of radio communication systems; and a software transmitting unit that transmits the stored communication software packages to an IC card to be attached to a communication terminal.

According to one feature of the present invention, the general purpose hardware performs common hardware processing only, and other processing unique to each communication service is performed by the software processing part using the respective communication software package stored in the IC card. Therefore, the shared communication terminal depends as little as possible on the hardware, and can easily utilize many communication services provided by many radio communication systems.

Since a plurality of communication software packages necessary for utilizing communication services provided by a plurality of communication system are stored in an IC card, when a user wants to change his/her communication terminal, he/she only has to insert the original IC card into a new communication terminal to reduce or avoid inconvenience of the terminal changing process.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1schematically shows a concept of a software distribution system according to the present invention. The communication distribution system100shown inFIG. 1includes a core network102for a shared radio communication system established by a plurality of radio communication systems, a switching system104, a base station106, a software server108for storing communication software packages, IC card maintenance tools110-1and110-2(hereinafter referred to as merely “IC card maintenance tool110” for indicating both tools), and a shared communication terminal such as a mobile communication terminal120.

The software server108and the IC card maintenance tool110-1are connected to the core network102. On the other hand, the IC card maintenance tool110-2is not connected to the core network102and stands alone.

In this communication software distribution system100, the software server108transmits communication software packages necessary for utilizing communication services provided by the plural radio communication systems to the shared communication terminal120via the core network102, the switching system104and the base station106. The IC card maintenance tool110writes the communication software packages necessary for utilizing communication services provided by the plural radio communication systems into the IC card attached to the shared communication terminal120. The shared communication terminal120acquires these software packages from the software server108or the IC card maintenance tool110, selects one communication software package corresponding to a communication service to be utilized, and executes the selected communication software package, to utilize the communication service selected out of the multiple communication services.

FIG. 2shows a schematic view of a shared communication terminal according to the present invention. The shared communication terminal120may be, for example, a communication terminal employed in a third generation mobile communication system. The main body122of the shared communication terminal120has a display125such as a liquid crystal display, an operation part126such as a key pad, and an IC card slot127for inserting an IC card124.

FIG. 3shows the block diagram of an example of the inside structure of the shared communication terminal120. The shared communication terminal120shown inFIG. 3comprises a main body122and an IC card124. The main body122includes general purpose hardware130, a software processing part132, and a memory part134.

The memory part134stores basic software140. This basic software140is common software necessary for utilizing each of the radio communication services provided by the plural radio communication systems.

The IC card124stores a customer information administration software program142, RF software programs144-1,144-2(hereinafter referred to merely as “radio frequency (RF) software144” for indicating both RF software programs), baseband software programs146-1,146-s(hereinafter referred to merely as “baseband software146” for indicating both baseband software programs), and application software programs148-1,148-2(hereinafter referred to merely as “application software148” for indicating both application software programs).

Out of these software programs stored in the IC card124, the RF software144-1, the baseband software146-1and the application software148-1compose a communication software package necessary for utilizing a first radio communication service provided by a first radio communication system. And the RF software144-2, the baseband software146-2and the application software148-2compose another communication software package necessary for utilizing a second radio communication service provided by a second radio communication system.

The customer information administration software142is for administering customer information (such as a telephone number assigned to the shared communication terminal120, information relating to communication services available to the shared communication terminal120, etc.) existing in the core network102. The RF software144is for processing signal transmission and reception (such as signal detection) between the shared communication terminal120and the bases station106. The baseband software146is related to signal modulation and demodulation such as digital conversion of received signals. The application software148is for processing user applications such as JAVA (a registered trademark) or other applications for outputting sound or displaying characters and images and so on.

The general purpose hardware130performs common hardware processing necessary for utilizing each of the communication services provided by the multiple communication systems.

The software processing part132, cooperating with the general purpose hardware130, selects one communication software package out of the communication software packages stored in the IC card124, corresponding to a communication system to be utilized, and executes the selected communication software package and the basic software in the memory part140.

In more detail, the software processing part132identifies a radio signal having the maximum reception strength out of a plurality of radio signals transmitted from the base station106, and specifies the communication service provided by the communication system corresponding to the maximum reception radio signal. Alternatively, the software processing part132specifies a communication service in response to user's instruction.

Next, the software processing part132selects a communication software package necessary for utilizing the specified communication service, composed of the RF software144, the baseband software146and the application software148. For example, each radio communication service provided by each communication system is previously assigned identification information (communication service identification information), that uniquely identifies one communication service. Each communication software package necessary for utilizing the respective communication service is stored together with the respective identification information in the IC card124. In this manner, the software processing part132can search for and select the communication software package corresponding to the specified communication service, using such assigned communication service identification information as a search key.

When the software processing part134processes signal transmission and reception, it cooperates with the general purpose hardware130and executes the basic software140and the selected RF software144. When the software processing part134processes signal modulation and demodulation, it cooperates with the general purpose hardware130and executes the basic software140and the selected baseband software146. When the software processing part134processes application processing, it cooperates with the general purpose hardware130and executes the basic software140and the selected application software148.

The shared communication terminal120shown inFIG. 3can directly execute the communication software stored in the IC card124. However, the shared communication terminal120can also read the communication software into the main body122and then execute the read communication software. In this case, as shown inFIG. 4, the software processing part132specifies one communication service to be utilized, reads out a communication software package composed of a RF software program144, a baseband software program146and an application software program148necessary for utilizing the specified communication service from the IC card124, and stores the so-composed communication software package in the rewritable memory part134. Then the software processing part132, the same as shown inFIG. 3, cooperates with the general purpose hardware130and executes the basic software140, the stored RF software144, the stored baseband software146and the stored application software148.

The software processing part132can cooperate with the general purpose hardware130and receive communication software transmitted from the software server108connected to the core network102, and store it in the IC card124. In a case where the IC card maintenance tool110has written communication software into the IC card124, the software processing part132identifies the written communication software when the IC card124is inserted into the IC card slot127.

FIG. 5shows the block diagram of an example structure inside the software server108. The software server108shown inFIG. 5includes a software storage202and a software transmitter204.

The software storage202stores communication software packages (RF software144, baseband software146and application software148) to be transmitted to the shared communication terminal120.

The software transmitter204identifies a communication service available to the shared communication terminal120, based on the customer information existing in the core network102. The software transmitter202further reads out a communication software package necessary for utilizing the identified communication service from the software storage202, and transmits it to the shared communication terminal120via the core network102, the switching system104and the base station106.

FIG. 6shows the block diagram of an example structure inside the IC maintenance tool110. The IC maintenance tool110shown inFIG. 6includes a software storage212and a software writer214.

The software storage212stores communication software packages (RF software144, baseband software146and application software148) to be written into the IC card124of the shared communication terminal120.

The software writer214can perform two kinds of processing. In a case where the IC card maintenance tool110is not connected to the core network102but stands alone, the software writer214selects a communication software package in the software storage212and writes it into the IC card124in response to an operator's selection of communication software.

On the other hand, in a case where the IC card maintenance tool110is connected to the core network102, the software writer214identifies a communication service available to the shared communication terminal120, based on the customer information existing in the core network102. The software transmitter202further reads out the communication software package necessary for utilizing the identified communication service from the software storage212, and writes it into the IC card124. This case can reduce the operator's workload, and avoid the operational mistake of writing a communication software package corresponding to an unavailable communication service to the IC card124.

As explained above, in the communication software distribution system100according to the embodiment of the present invention, the shared communication terminal120acquires communication software packages from the software server108or the IC card maintenance tool110, selects a communication software package corresponding to a communication service to be utilized, and executes the selected communication software package. The general purpose hardware130performs common hardware processing only, and other processing unique to each communication service is performed by the software processing part132using the appropriate communication software package stored in the IC card124. Therefore, the shared communication terminal120depends as little as possible on the hardware, and can easily utilize many communication services provided by many radio communication systems.

The communication software is stored in the IC card124, but not in the main body of the shared communication terminal120. Therefore, when a user changes his/her communication terminal, he/she only has to insert the original IC card into a new communication terminal to reduce or avoid inconvenience of the terminal changing process.

According to the embodiment of the present invention, the general purpose hardware performs common hardware processing only, and other processing unique to each communication service is performed by the software processing part using the appropriate communication software package stored in the IC card. Therefore, the shared communication terminal depends as little as possible on the hardware, and can easily utilize many communication services provided by many radio communication systems.

Since a plurality of communication software packages necessary for utilizing communication services provided by a plurality of communication system are stored in an IC card, when a user wants to change his/her communication terminal, he/she only has to insert the original IC card into a new communication terminal to reduce or avoid inconvenience of the terminal changing process.

The present application is based on Japanese Priority Patent Application No. 2002-218174 filed on Jul. 26, 2002 with the Japanese Patent Office, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.