REPRESENTATION OF APPLICATIONS IN A TELECOMMUNICATION SYSTEM

Abstract: A method for the using and representation of applications stored on a terminal device and/or smart card in a telecommunication system comprising a telecommunication network (WN); a terminal device (MS) which is connected to the telecommunication network (WN) a server (SERVER) which is connected to the telecommunication network (WN); a smart card (SC) which has been inserted into the terminal device (MS); a SIM Application Toolkit (STK) which has been arranged in the terminal device (MS) and/or smart card (SC). In the method, the terminal device (MS) comprises the necessary features for using the WAP. According to the invention, a piece of definition information (EF) is generated that comprises information about the SIM Application Toolkit applications at the disposal of the terminal device (MS) and about their use in a WAP environment; definition information (EF) is being read, when one wishes to use SIM Application Toolkit applications in a WAP environment; and SIM Application Toolkit applications are being displayed on the terminal device (MS) in a WAP environment in a way as presented by the piece of definition information (EF).

Description: REPRESENTATION OF APPLICATIONS IN A TELECOMMUNICATION SYSTEM FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to teleco muni- cation systems. In particular, the invention relates to a method and a system for the using and representation of applications stored on a smart card in a telecommunication system comprising a telecommunication network; a terminal device which is connected to the telecommunication network; a server which is connected to the telecommunication network; a smart card which has been inserted into the terminal device; a SIM Application Toolkit which has been arranged in the terminal device and/or the smart card. In the telecommu- nication system, the terminal device comprises the necessary features for using the WAP (WAP, Wireless application Protocol) . BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The use of the wireless application protocol is becoming common in solutions in which a connection is needed between portable terminal devices, such as mobile stations and the Internet applications, e.g. electronic mail, WWW (World Wide Web), news groups. The wireless application protocol provides an architecture which adapts mobile phones, browser programs of mobile phones, and the WWW to work as a functional entity. The HTML language (Hyper Text Mark-up Language) used in the WWW is translated into a WML (Wire- less Mark-up Language) designed for the wireless environment, when information is being transmitted to mobile stations. At present, as the description language of the WAP standard, the WML language is used, but the language may be understood to mean also any other description language consistent with the future WAP standard. The wireless application protocol com- prises of the following five layers: wireless application environment (WAE, Wireless Application Environment) , wireless session layer (WSL, Wireless Session Layer) , wireless transaction layer (WTP, Wireless Transaction Layer) , wireless transport layer security (WTLS, Wireless Transport Layer Security) , and wireless datagram layer (WDP, Wireless Datagram Layer) . The wireless application environment is used to mean, e.g. a WTA (WTA, Wireless Telephone Application), or some other suitable environment. Lowermost is yet a system dependant layer which defines the transfer mode of the information inside the system in question. The specification accepted at the moment is the WAP specification 1.1. The aforementioned specification and other WAP related specifications are available at the Internet address www. apforum. com. Ericsson, Motorola, Nokia and Phone.com founded in 1997 the WAP Forum. The WAP Forum is among other things an open association of terminal manufac- tures, operators and different service providers, which anyone can join. One specific objective of the WAP architecture is to enable the use of services provided by the Internet on terminals whose data processing capacity, size of display or storage capacity is small or restricted. Terminals as described above are, e.g. mobile stations and PDAs (PDA, Personal Digital Assistant) . The undeniable advantage of a mobile communication network, e.g. a GSM system (GSM, Global System for Mobile communications) as compared with a public switched telephone network (PSTN, Public Switched Telephone Network) is the mobility management. The mobile communication network enables one to make and receive phone calls anywhere in the coverage area of the network. In this application, a mobile communication network is advantageously used to mean a digital mobile network. The substantial part of the function of the terminal devices of mobile communication networks, the mobile stations, is the subscribe identity module (SIM, Subscriber Identity Module) . When you separate the actual terminal device and the subscriber identity module individualizing the subscriber from one another, a system is established in which specific operators may offer different services to the users of the mobile stations. The operator is herein used to mean an entity which has got the infrastructure of the mobile communication network at his or her disposal in order to provide mobile communication services. The separating of the mobile station and the subscriber identity module from one another enables a constant development of services connected with the mobile stations and the introduction of new, operator-specific services. The functional interface between the mobile station and the subscriber identity module has been described in the specification TS 100 977 V7.3.0 (1999-07) of ETSI . (ETSI, European Telecommunications and Standard Institute) . The step of development connected with the function of the subscriber identity module is the definition of the SIM Application Toolkit which de- fines specifications to the interface between the mobile station and the subscriber identity module. The SIM Application Toolkit is used to mean all those functions and mechanisms that enable the interaction of the applications on the subscriber identity module with the mobile station. This requires that the mobile station supports the functions and mechanisms needed in the interaction. The SIM application Toolkit has been defined in the specification TS 101 267 V7.3.1 (1999-07) of ETSI. The problem is the combining of the SIM Application Tolkit and the wireless application protocol in such a way that the WAP application need not know beforehand what kind of SIM Application Toolkit applications there are on the subscriber identity module. Furthermore, the problem is the fact of how the user interface of the SIM Application Toolkit is manifested in the WAP. OBJECTIVE OF THE INVENTION The objective of the invention is to eliminate the drawbacks referred to above, or at least sig- nificantly to alleviate them. One specific objective of the invention is to disclose a method and a system which enables one to easily change the representation mode of the user interface or the structure of the applications, when SIM Application Toolkit is being used in the WAP. Moreover, thanks to the invention, the cooperation of the SIM Application Toolkit and the WAP may be easily implemented. As for the features characteristic of the invention, reference is made to them in the claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to the using and representation of applications stored on a smart card in a telecommunication system. One specific objective of the invention is to enable the co-operation of the SIM Application Toolkit applications and the WAP in such a way that the SIM Application Toolkit and its services may be used and displayed in the WAP without the WAP application having to know beforehand what kind of SIM Application Toolkit applications there are on the smart card. The telecommunication system of the invention comprises a telecommunication network, a terminal device which is connected to the telecommunication net- work, a server which is connected to the telecommunication network, a smart card which has been inserted into the terminal device, a SIM Application Toolkit which has been arranged in the terminal device and/or the smart card. In the method, the terminal device comprises the necessary features for using the WAP. This means, e.g. that the terminal device comprises a WAP client program and that the terminal device is capable of displaying functions connected with the WAP client program. According to the invention, a piece of defi- nition information is created that contains information about the SIM Application Toolkit applications and about their use in a- WAP environment. Definition information is read, when one wishes to use SIM Application Toolkit applications in a WAP environment. SIM Application Toolkit applications are being displayed on the terminal device in a WAP environment in a way as defined by the piece of definition information. The piece of definition information may be created, e.g. on the terminal device and/or the smart card. The piece of definition information may be used to define, e.g. the fact of how SIM Application Toolkit applications are being displayed on the terminal device. The exterior features of the user interface may depend, e.g. on the size of the display of the terminal de- vice. In one embodiment of the invention, the piece of definition information is created on a server which is connected to the telecommunication network. On the terminal device and/or smart card there is, e.g. a pointer stored that refers to the piece of definition information located on the server. The pointer is, e.g. a URL address (URL, Universal Resource Locator) . Based on the pointer, the piece of definition information may be retrieved from the server by way of the telecommunication network. In addition, the piece of definition information may be authenticated by means of the digital signature. Because of this, one can be sure of the fact that the content of the piece of definition information has not been changed. In another embodiment of the invention, it is possible to edit the piece of definition information by means of the terminal device. Because of the possibility of editing, the representation mode of the user interface and/or the structure of the applications can be changed in real-time. The system of the invention comprises a piece of definition information which comprises information about the SIM Application Toolkit applications at the disposal of the terminal device and about their use in a WAP environment, an information reader which is used to read definition information, when one wishes to use SIM Application Toolkit applications in a WAP environment, and a generator which is used to display SIM Application Toolkit applications on the terminal device in a WAP environment in a way as defined by the piece of definition information. In one embodiment, the piece of definition information has been arranged in the terminal device and/or smart card. In another embodiment, the piece of definition information has been arranged in the server, and in addition, the terminal device and/or smart card may comprise a pointer which refers to the piece of definition information located on the server. Further, the terminal device and/or smart card may comprise an information retrieval entity for retrieving the piece of definition information In an embodiment of the invention, the terminal device and/or smart card comprises a modifier for modifying the piece of definition information. In an embodiment of the invention, the terminal device/and or smart card comprises a certification entity which is used to make sure of the reliability and origin of the piece of definition information. The certification entity enables one to find out, e.g. whether the possible digital signature connected with the piece of definition information is authentic. In an embodiment of the invention, the smart card is a subscriber identity module. The subscriber identity module may comprise a WIM (WIM, WAP Identity Module) by means of which it is possible to implement measures required by the WAP protocol . In an embodiment of the invention, the smart card comprises a WIM. In an embodiment, the piece of definition information is part of WIM. In an embodiment of the invention, the terminal device is a mobile station. In an embodiment of the invention, the telecommunication network is a mobile communication network. Thanks to the present invention, it is possible to use in WAP the SIM Application Toolkit and the services provided by it without the WAP application having to know beforehand what kind of applications there are on the smart card, which is preferably a subscriber identity module. Thanks to the invention, the user interface connected with the SIM Application Toolkit applications looks like a normal WML site. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the following section, the invention will be described in detail by the aid of a few examples of its embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 represents one advantageous embodiment in accordance with the invention Fig. 2 is a flow chart illustrating the function of the present invention; and Fig. 3 is a signaling diagram illustrating the function of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The system as described in Fig. 1 comprises a terminal device MS, a telecommunication network WN and a server SERVER. The terminal device MS and the server SERVER communicate with the telecommunication network WN. The terminal device MS is preferably a mobile station and the telecommunication network a mobile communication network. The system as shown in Fig. 1 comprises, in addition, a user USER, under whose control and at whose disposal the mobile station MS is. In this example, the mobile station MS consists of the mobile station equipment itself and a smart card SC. The mobile station MS may, in addition, comprise many other parts, components or features which are not necessary to present in this connection and which are ob- vious to a man skilled in the art . The smart card is preferably a subscriber identity module SIM. If the smart card SC is a subscriber identity module, it may also comprise a WIM. In such a situation, the SIM functionality connected with the mobile communication network WN and the WIM functionality may use different logical channels. WIM is used to mean a protected device or instrument which is used to perform different measures and saves of WAP connected with the security. WIM may be used to per- form, e.g. security measures connected with the WTLS and application level. In particular, WIM may be used to save and process information that is needed in identification and authentication. The smart card SC may also be merely a WIM card. In the example as shown in Fig 1, the smart card SC comprises a SIM Application Toolkit STK. The SIM Application Toolkit STK is used to mean all those functions and mechanisms that enable the interaction of the applications on the subscriber identity module with the mobile station. On the smart card SC there is also a piece of definition information EF arranged that comprises information about the SIM Application Toolkit applications at the disposal of the mobile station MS and about their use in a WAP environment . The piece of definition information EF may also be generated on the server SERVER. This implementation mode requires, however, that the security factors are carefully considered. In this situation, the data transfer may have to be encrypted and one has to take care of the identification of parties. The smart card SC comprises a pointer PT which refers to the piece of definition information located in the server SERVER. Thanks to the pointer PT, the piece of definition information EF included in the server SERVER may be retrieved by way of the telecommunication network WN. The smart card SC may, in addition, comprise a certi- fication entity which enables one to make sure of the reliability and origin of the piece of definition information. The mobile station equipment as shown by Fig. 1 comprises an operating system OS, a WAP client pro- gram WAP client, an information reader RD, an information retrieval entity 10, a generator GEN and a modifier MOD. The operating system OS communicates with the user USER, WAP client program WAPclient and smart card SC. The information reader is used to read the definition information EF in a situation where one wishes to use SIM Application Toolkit applications in a WAP environment. The information retrieval entity 10 may be used to retrieve the piece of definition information on the server SERVER in a situation where the piece of definition information EF has not been saved to the mobile station MS. The generator GEN is used to display SIM Application Toolkit applications on the terminal device MS in a WAP environment in a way as defined by the piece of definition information EF. Fig. 2 represents a flow chart illustrating the function of the present invention. As shown in block 20, a piece of definition information is gener- ated that comprises information about the SIM Application Toolkit applications at the disposal of the mobile station and about their use in a WAP environment. The terminal device comprises the necessary means and equipment for reading the piece of definition information. As shown in block 21, the piece of definition information is read, when one wishes to use SIM Application Toolkit applications in a WAP environment . As shown in the present invention, the piece of defini- tion information may be located either in the terminal device or in a server connected to the telecommunication network, blocks 23 and 24. When the piece of definition information has been retrieved from an appropriate place, SIM Applica- tion Toolkit applications are being displayed in a WAP environment on the terminal device as shown by the piece of definition information, block 25. Fig. 3 represents one example of a signaling diagram illustrating the function of the present in- vention. The example as shown in Fig 3 comprises a user USER, a wireless environment WAE, a mobile station ME and a subscriber identity module SIM inserted into the mobile station. The user USER shows his or her wish to util- ize some SIM Application Toolkit applications in a WAP environment by a certain key command, arrow 30. The command given by the user USER is transmitted to the WAE environment WAE, arrow 31. The PROCESSING box 32 means that at this point in the WAE environment WAE, it is found out what the received service request means and how one has to react to it . The WAE environment WAE sends a service request via the mobile station ME to the subscriber identity module SIM, arrows 33 and 34. By means of the service request one tries to find out how the SIM Application Toolkit applications are being presented in a WAE environment WAE, e.g. in a WML language. To the subscriber identity module, it is possible to save a specific piece of definition information which comprises information about the SIM Application Toolkit applications at the disposal of the terminal device ME and about their use in a WAE environment WAE. The subscriber identity module returns a response to the presented service request, arrows 35 and 36. The PROCESSING box 37 describes the fact that the form and meaning of the response returned by the sub- scriber identity module SIM is being interpreted. As shown by arrows 38 and 39, the SIM Application Toolkit application is presented to the user USER by a description language suitable for the purpose, e.g. a WML language . In an embodiment of the invention, the piece of definition information may comprise following descriptions : <INFO> ::= <general><type><command-info> <general> ::= [<strong>][<emphasize>][<underline>][<small>][<big>] <type> ::= menu | (other commands defined in TS 101267) <command-info> ::= <number-of-items>(<item-id-number> <alpha-identifier><presentation-info>)* <presentation-info> ::= [<strong>][<emphasize>][<underline>] [<small>][<big>] | <default> | <general> | TBD <default> ::= (WAE default values) The first line describes the fact of what elements the <INFO> field consists of. It consists of the field <general>, <type> and <command-info> . The <INFO>-field always comprises the three aforementioned fields. The <General>-field may comprise following definitions: <strong>, <emphasize>, <underline>, <small> and <big>. The brackets on the line mean that any combina- tions of the aforementioned fields are possible. In other words, each field may appear alone or as a combination with others. The Type> -field comprises the message to be transmitted or the type of the command. One example of this is the <menu>-type. Other possible types are defined in the specification TS 101 267 of ETSI. The <Command-info> field consists of the field <number-of-items> . At the end of it may be an undetermined number of field combination <item-id-number><alpha- identifier><presentation-info> . The <Presentation-info> field may comprise the same information as the <general> field. Alternatively, it may comprise the <default>-field or tai TBD. The value of the <Default>-field may be one of the initial values of WAE. The invention is not restricted merely to the examples of its embodiments referred to above, instead many variations are possible within the scope of the inventive idea defined by the claims.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A method for the using and representation of applications stored on a terminal device and/or smart card in a telecommunication system comprising: a telecommunication network (WN) ; a terminal device (MS) which is connected to the telecommunication network; a server (SERVER) which is connected to the telecommunication network (WN) ; a smart card (SC) which has been inserted into the terminal device (MS) ; a SIM Application Toolkit (STK) which has been arranged in the terminal device (MS) and/or smart card (SC) ; in which method the terminal device (MS) comprises the necessary features for using the WAP, characterised in that the method comprises the steps of: generating a piece of definition information (EF) which comprises information about the SIM Application Toolkit applications at the disposal of the terminal device (MS) and about their use in a WAP environment; reading definition information (EF) , when one wishes to use SIM Application Toolkit applications in a WAP environment; displaying SIM Application Toolkit applications on a terminal device (MS) in a WAP environment in a way as presented by the piece of definition information (EF) . 2. A method as defined in claim 1, characteri sed in that a piece of definition information (EF) is generated on the terminal device (MS) and/or smart card (SC) . 3. A method as defined in claim 1, char- acterised in that the method comprises the steps of: generating a piece of definition information (EF) on the server (SERVER) ; storing on the terminal device (MS) and/or smart card (SC) a pointer which refers to the piece of defi- nition information (EF) located on the server (SERVER) ; and retrieving the piece of definition information (EF) by way of the telecommunication network (WN) . 4. A method as defined in any one of the pre- ceding claims 1, 2 or 3, characterised in that the piece of definition information (EF) is being edited on the terminal device (MS) . 5. A method as defined in any one of the preceding claims 1, 2, 3 or 4, characterised in that one makes sure of the reliability and origin of the piece of definition information (EF) . 6. A method as defined in any one of the preceding claims 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5, characteri sed in that the smart card (SC) is a subscriber identity module. 7. A method as defined in any one of the preceding claims 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5, characteri sed in that the smart card (SC) is a subscriber identity module that comprises a WIM. 8. A method as defined in any one of the preceding claims 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5, characteri sed in that the smart card (SC) is a WIM card. 9. A method as defined in any one of the preceding claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 8, charac - terised in that the piece of definition information (EF) is part of WIM. 10. A method as defined in any one of the preceding claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 or 9, characterised in that the terminal device (MS) is a mobile station. 11. A method as defined in any one of the preceding claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 or 10, characterised in that the telecommunication network (WN) is a mobile communication network. 12. A system for the using and representation of applications stored on a terminal device and/or smart card in a telecommunication system comprising: a telecommunication network (WN) ; a terminal device (MS) which is connected to the telecommunication network; a server (SERVER) which is connected to the tele- communication network (WN) ; a smart card (SC) which has been inserted into the terminal device (MS) ; a SIM Application Toolkit (STK) which has been arranged in the terminal device (MS) and/or smart card (SC) ; in which system the terminal device (MS) comprises the necessary features for using the WAP, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the method comprises : a piece of definition information (EF) which comprises information about the SIM Application Toolkit applications at the disposal of the terminal device (MS) and about their use in a WAP environment; an information reader (RD) which is used to read definition information (EF) , when one wishes to use SIM Application Toolkit applications in a WAP environment ; and a generator (GEN) which is used to display SIM Application Toolkit applications on a terminal device (MS) in a WAP environment in a way as presented by the piece of definition information (EF) . 13. A system as defined in claim 12, characteri sed in that the piece of definition information (EF) has been arranged in the terminal de- vice (MS) and/or smart card (SC) . 14. A system as defined in claim 12 or 13, characterised in that the piece of definition information (EF) has been arranged in the server (SERVER) ; the terminal device (MS) and/or smart card (SC) comprises a pointer (PT) which refers to the piece of definition information (EF) located on the server (SERVER) ; and the terminal device (MS) and/or smart card (SC) comprise an information retrieval entity (10) for retrieving the piece of definition information (EF) by way of the telecommunication network (WN) . 15. A system as defined in any one of the preceding claims 12, 13 or 14, characteri sed in that the terminal device (MS) and/or smart card (SC) comprises a modifier (MOD) for modifying the piece of definition information (EF) . 16. A system as defined in any one of the preceding claims 12, 13, 14 or 15, characteri sed in that the terminal device (MS) and/or smart card (SC) comprises a certification entity (SEC) which is used to make sure of the reliability and origin of the piece of definition information (EF) . 17. A system as defined in any one of the preceding claims 12, 13, 14, 15 or 16, charac terised in that the smart card (SC) is a sub- scriber identity module. 18. A system as defined in any one of the preceding claims 12, 13, 14, 15 or 16, charac teri sed in that the smart card (SC) is a subscriber identity module which comprises a WIM. 19. A system as defined in any one of the preceding claims 12, 13, 14, 15 or 16, charac teri sed in that the smart card (SC) is a WIM card. 20. A system as defined in any one of the preceding claims 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 or 19, characterised in that the terminal device (MS) is a mobile station. 21. A system as defined in any one of the preceding claims 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 or 20, characterised in that the telecommunication network (WN) is a mobile communication network.

Inventors: HEINONEN PETTERI, VIRKKULA PETRI, HEINONEN, PETTERI, VIRKKULA, PETRI
Applicants: HEINONEN PETTERI, SONERA OYJ, VIRKKULA PETRI, HEINONEN, PETTERI, VIRKKULA, PETRI
Application year: 2001
Main classification: H04Q7
IPC codes: G07F7, H04L29, H04W8