Abstract:
A wireless communication device capable of being upgraded from a software upgrade server via a wireless communication network. The wireless communication device comprises: 1) a memory capable of storing a user profile, wherein the user profile is suitable for managing an un-attended software download; and 2) a message processor associated with the memory capable of communicating with the software upgrade server via the wireless communication network, wherein the message processor receives at least a first un-attended notification message from the software upgrade server identifying a new software update to be applied to the wireless communication device.

Description:
CROSS-REFREENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]    This application is a continuation-in-part (CIP) of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/017,050, filed Dec. 13, 2001, entitled “IOTA SOFTWARE DOWNLOAD VIA AUXILIARY DEVICE”, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60/310,511 filed Aug. 6, 2001. The disclosure of related patent application Ser. No. 10/017,050 is hereby incorporated by reference into the present disclosure as if fully set forth herein. 
     
    
     
       TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The present invention is directed, in general, to Internet over-the-air software downloads to wireless communication devices and, more specifically, to wireless software download notification for wireless communication devices capable of accessing the Internet.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    As wireless communication devices such as mobile telephones and personal digital assistants (PDAs) become increasingly prevalent, the need for software downloads to such devices (e.g., to upgrade operating system software, update applications, or add after-market functionality) will also increase. Wireless communication devices capable of accessing the Internet (sometimes referred to as Internet over-the-air or “IOTA”) are particularly likely to require such software downloads. Wireless software downloads would be preferable in such cases to avoid the necessity of providing a separate Internet connection mechanism simply for software downloads.  
           [0004]    Wireless performance of software downloads to wireless Internet-access devices is currently the subject of considerable effort, but standardization of such wireless downloads is challenging due to the wide disparity in technology employed by wireless devices. Wireless software downloads may be achieved by a variety of means including file transfer protocol (FTP), trivial file transfer protocol (TFTP), and the like. However, all of these methods require running the entire network protocol stack—including the radio frequency (RF), call processing, and transmission control protocol/Internet protocol (TCP/IP) layers—on the wireless communication device in order to download new software.  
           [0005]    Currently, a user of a wireless communication device is required to poll a predefined website designated by the operator or manufacture to find out if any new software updates are available. However, this presents a problem with regard to the certainty that the user is aware of all software updates in a timely manner and that all users have applied critical software updates.  
           [0006]    There is, therefore, a need in the art for providing a system and method for Internet over-the-air software download notification. In particular, there is a need for automatic notification of wireless communication devices capable of wireless connection to the Internet.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0007]    It is an object of the present invention to overcome the above-discussed deficiencies of the prior art, and more specifically, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a system and method for Internet over-the-air software download notification for wireless communication devices.  
           [0008]    It is another object of the present invention to provide a wireless communication device capable of being upgraded from a software upgrade server via a wireless communication network. According to an advantageous embodiment of the present invention, the wireless communication device comprises: 1) a memory capable of storing a user profile, wherein the user profile is suitable for managing an un-attended software download; and 2) a message processor associated with the memory capable of communicating with the software upgrade server via the wireless communication network, wherein the message processor receives at least a first un-attended notification message from the software upgrade server identifying a new software update to be applied to the wireless communication device.  
           [0009]    It is still another object of the present invention to provide a communication system capable of upgrading a wireless communication device from a software upgrade server via a wireless communication network. According to an advantageous embodiment of the present invention, the communication system comprises a wireless communication device capable of being upgraded from a software upgrade server via a wireless communication network comprising: 1) a memory capable of storing a user profile, wherein the user profile is suitable for managing an un-attended software download; and 2) a message processor associated with the memory capable of communicating with the software upgrade server via the wireless communication network, wherein the message processor receives at least a first un-attended notification message from the software upgrade server identifying a new software update to be applied to the wireless communication device.  
           [0010]    These and other advantages and features of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the subsequent detailed description and accompanying drawings. Accordingly, additional advantages and features of the present invention and the scope thereof are pointed out with particularity in the claims and form a part hereof.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]    A more complete understanding of the present invention, its preferred embodiments, further objects, and advantages thereof, will become more apparent by reference to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numbers indicate like elements, and in which:  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 1 illustrates selected portions of an exemplary communication system according to one embodiment of the present invention; and  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 2 illustrates a high-level flow diagram of a process for Internet over-the-air software download notification for a wireless communication device, according to one embodiment of the present invention.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0014]    Reference will now be made to the following detailed description of the exemplary embodiments of the present invention. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the present invention provides many inventive concepts and novel features that are merely illustrative and are not to be construed as restrictive. Accordingly, the specific embodiments discussed herein are given by way of example and should not be construed to limit the scope of the present invention.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 1 illustrates selected portions of an exemplary communication system  100  according to one embodiment of the present invention. Communication system  100  comprises a wireless communication network  101  coupling a wireless communication device  102  to Internet  103  and software update server  107 . Wireless communication network  101  also comprises mobile switching center (MSC)  104 , inter-working function (IWF)  105 , packet data protocol (PDP) access point (AP)  106 , and base stations (BS)  108  and  109 .  
         [0016]    Radio frequency (RF) communication links  110  and  111  provide the operable connection between base stations (BS)  108  and  109  and wireless communication device  102 . Wireless communication device  102  may be any wireless communication device, including, but not limited to, conventional cellular telephones, paging devices, personal digital assistant devices, text-message transmission devices, portable computers, or the like.  
         [0017]    Wireless connectivity between the wireless communication device  102  and the Internet  103  is provided by wireless communication network  101  through, for example, a mobile switching center (MSC)  104  and inter-working function (IWF)  105 , or through a packet data protocol (PDP) access point (AP)  106  for a general packet radio service (GPRS) gateway GPRS support node (GGSN).  
         [0018]    Those skilled in the art will recognize that the complete structure and operation of a wireless communication network and other components within communication system  100  are not depicted or described. The present invention may be employed in conjunction with known wireless communication networks and other components, and only so much of those components as is unique to the present invention or necessary for an understanding of the present invention are depicted and described.  
         [0019]    In order to receive wireless software download notifications, wireless communication device  102  employs the wireless connection to Internet  103  provided by wireless communication network  101  to access software update server  107 . Software update server  107  contains software to be downloaded to and installed within wireless communication device  102  for either replacing or augmenting existing software.  
         [0020]    According to the principles of the present invention, wireless communication device  102  comprises a memory (not shown), message processor (not shown) and custom software to manage the entire procedure for the un-attended reception, software download, and installation of software described below. The message processor further allows, for example, software registration, security and encryption keys associated with wireless communication device  102  to be employed in downloading the software without transfer of such keys to any intermediate devices.  
         [0021]    According to an advantageous embodiment of the present invention, the wireless software download notification is initiated when new software becomes available. In such an embodiment, software update server  107  sends out a special-purpose broadcast notification message via wireless communication network  101  to all wireless communication devices to which the software update applies. The special-purpose, specially-formatted broadcast message may be delivered to wireless communication device  102  using a variety of means, including short message service (SMS), multimedia messaging (MMS), email, special data burst messages, broadcast information on shared channels, or the like. In this advantageous embodiment, the specially formatted broadcast message contains at least one record, furthermore, each record may comprise a file name, file size, checksum, flag indicating if this is a mandatory software module, recommended download server (for geographical load balancing), or the like.  
         [0022]    Accordingly, wireless communication device  102  receives the un-attended specially formulated broadcast message and the message processor checks the user-preferences stored in memory for the appropriate downloading profile. Depending on the content of the message, and the available battery life, wireless communication device  102  may begin downloading the software-update asynchronously. Alternatively, the user-preferences may require a user consultation prior to the downloading or loading of the software. Therefore, wireless communication device  102  may process the specially formatted message and prompt the user via the MMI for processing instructions.  
         [0023]    Once the software is downloaded in its entirety, the message processor determines the appropriate time for wireless communication device  102  to enter a program mode. During the program mode, the wireless communication device  102  no longer communicates with wireless network  101  (i.e., wireless communication device  102  goes “off the air”). Wireless communication device  102  proceeds to program the buffered software update, installing the downloaded software for either replacing or augmenting the existing software. Once the programming and installation is complete, if needed, wireless communication device  102  restarts or “reboots” in order to effectively utilize the newly loaded software.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 2 illustrates a high-level flow diagram of a process for Internet over-the-air software download notification for a wireless communication device, according to one embodiment of the present invention. The process  200  begins with a wireless software download to a wireless communication device capable of Internet access (process step  205 ). In order to receive wireless software download notifications, wireless communication device  102  connects to Internet  103  provided by wireless communication network  101  to access software update server  107  (process step  210 ).  
         [0025]    When new software becomes available, software update server  107  sends out a specially formatted, specific-purpose broadcast message to all wireless communication devices to which the software update applies, via wireless communication network  101  (process step  215 ). Wireless communication device  102  receives the un-attended specially formatted broadcast message from software update server  107  (process step  220 ). The message processor of wireless communication device  102  checks the user-preferences for the appropriate downloading profile (process step  225 ).  
         [0026]    Depending on the content of the message and the available battery life, wireless communication device  102  may begin downloading the software-update or may initiate a consultation with the user prior to the downloading or loading of the software. Thereinafter, the software update from software update server  107  is downloaded to wireless communication device  102 , via wireless communication network  101  (process step  230 ). Alternatively, wireless communication device  102  enters into a delay loop (process step  231 ) wherein the downloading of the software-update is not initiated until such time as indicated by the downloading profile.  
         [0027]    Thereafter, wireless communication device  102  enters a program mode, in which the wireless communication device  102  no longer communicates with wireless network  101  (process step  235 ). Wireless communication device  102  proceeds to program the buffered software update, installing the downloaded software for either replacing or augmenting of existing software (process step  240 ). If necessary, once the programming and installation is complete, wireless communication device  102  restarts or “reboots” in order to effectively utilize the newly loaded software (process step  245 ).  
         [0028]    While the exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be understood that various changes and modifications to the foregoing embodiments may become apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed, but rather by the appended claims and their equivalents.