Method for programming radio telephone set, and programmable radio telephone set

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD [Detailed description of the invention]

【0001】

[Industrial application field]

The present invention relates to radiotelephone programming techniques, and particularly relates to methods and devices for remotely downloading number assignment module (NAM) instruction parameters to mobile telephones.

【0002】

[Conventional technology]

Over the last few years, the cellular mobile communications market has grown significantly. Therefore, due to the increase in cellular customers, cellular telephone service providers and cellular telephone service resellers are being forced to provide services to a large number of new subscribers seeking diverse cellular services. Current cellular subscribers also tend to switch to other service providers with incentives offered by service providers to new contract cellular subscribers.

【0003】

If there is a change in the relationship between the customer, the supplier, or the reseller as described above, programming or reprogramming of the cellular telephone is required every time the subscriber requests the change. In general, a customer who is going to purchase a cellular telephone and then brings it to an authorized service center for programming to make the telephone an authorized cellular service user telephone is a cellular service supply. Required by the person.

【0004】

In the case of cellular service resellers, future subscribers are often required to send their phone to an authorized agency for programming after purchasing the phone. In either case, the procedure is cumbersome and costly for customers, suppliers and resellers due to the delay in launching the service.

【0005】

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention]

Therefore, there is a need for methods and devices that can program radiotelephones to provide telephone services to current or new customers quickly, reliably and cost-effectively.

【0006】

[Means for solving problems]

In the present invention, a step of forming a bidirectional wireless communication path from the radiotelephone side via a pre-activated channel provided by the remote control center between the radiotelephone and the remote control center, and this communication. A step of activating the radiotelephone to receive a signal from the remote control center on the path, a step of receiving a predetermined set of signals assigned to the radiotelephone via the communication path, and a step of storing the received signal in the radiotelephone. Program the radiotelephone with the steps you want to take.

【0007】

Further, in the present invention, a means for forming a two-way wireless voice communication path from the radiotelephone side via a pre-activated channel provided by the remote control center between the radiotelephone and the remote control center, and voice. Activation means that selectively enables the radiotelephone to receive signals from the remote control center via the communication path, and means that receive a predetermined set of signals assigned to the radiotelephone via the voice communication path. And a means for storing the received signal in the radiotelephone, the programmable radiotelephone is configured.

【0008】

The method of remotely permitting a communication service from a control center to a mobile phone according to the present invention is for transmitting and receiving a multi-frequency tone signal via a voice communication path by a pre-activated channel provided by the remote control center. In response to the step of forming a two-way wireless voice communication path between the control center and the mobile phone, the step of receiving a predetermined identification mark given to the mobile phone at the control center, and the received identification mark, It consists of a step of transmitting the service authorization tone signal assigned to the mobile phone from the control center via the voice communication path. When the mobile phone receives the service authorization tone signal, the digital representation of the tone signal is stored in the memory inside the phone.

【0009】

The mobile telephone that transmits and receives voice signals and tone signals via the communication channel according to the present invention includes a wireless transceiver, a tone signal receiver connected to the wireless transceiver, an activation means for putting the mobile telephone into a program mode, and the like. Means to enable the tone signal receiver to receive a tone signal representing a mobile service authorization code via the voice communication channel and transceiver in response to the activation means, and a mobile phone with the corresponding mobile service authorization code. It consists of a means of storing the tone signal received for programming. The tone signal receiver is a dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) receiver, such as a touch tone signal receiver.

【0010】

[Example]

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In FIG. 1, 100 is a telephone exchange (TSO) that links radiotelephone 101 to a regional or national telephone network. The base station 102 is coupled to the telephone exchange 100 via a two-way communication link 103, and is provided so as to be able to perform radio frequency communication with the radio telephone 101 via the radio antenna 104.

【0011】

Further, the communication service supply center 105 is connected to the telephone exchange 100 via the two-way communication link 106. The communication service supply center 105 has a private branch exchange (PBX) 107 and a service reception station 108 coupled thereto. The wireless telephone 101 may be any telephone such as a fixed wireless telephone station, a mobile cellular telephone, or a cordless type telephone.

【0012】

In the radiotelephone system configured in this way, when purchasing or leasing the radiotelephone 101, the seller or the lender assigns a valid radiotelephone number to the person who intends to subscribe. Generally, this radiotelephone number consists of an area code number or district code number followed by a station number. In order for the subscriber to be able to use the radiotelephone 101, the telephone service provider or reseller selected by the subscriber must authorize the use of the radiotelephone 101 by programming it. That is, the radiotelephone 101 must be programmed to be identified as an authorized and legalized radiotelephone service subscriber or user in the radiotelephone network.

【0013】

The programming of the wireless telephone 101 is performed as follows. First, the subscriber is asked to dial a predetermined service center number from the telephone 101, and the communication service is supplied via the wireless antenna 104, the base station 102, the two-way communication link 103, the telephone exchange 100, and the two-way communication link 106. Form a communication path with the center 105.

【0014】

When a communication path is formed between the radiotelephone 101 and the communication service supply center 105, the subscriber can send the subscriber identification information requested by the operator of the service reception station 108 verbally or by dialing the telephone. Will be. The wireless telephone 101 is provided with a programming activation key 109. The programming activation key 109 is for connecting the voice signal transmitter / receiver built in the wireless telephone 101 to the communication path formed between the communication service supply center 105 and the communication service supply center 105.

【0015】

Next, the operator of the service reception station 108 connects the voice signal transmitter / receiver in the communication service supply center 105 to this communication path. In this way, by combining the transmitter of the communication service supply center 105 with the receiver of the radiotelephone 101, the service operator can directly input information to the radiotelephone 101 from a remote location. As mentioned above, the information that should be input and stored in the wireless telephone 101 is unique to the telephone owner or renter.

【0016】

For cellular mobile communications services, such information is called numbering module (NAM) indicator parameters. The following list shows examples of NAM instruction parameters that are remotely downloaded to the radiotelephone 101. System identification number 00022 Phone number 2013866366 Access overd class 06 Group identification number 10 Initial paging channel 0334 Security lock code 6366 Local use flag 1 A / B system selection 1 Minimum indicator flag 1 [0017]

The service operator at the service reception station 108 uses the keypad of the telephone to generate and transmit such NAM instruction parameters. Further, the information in the above list may be input to a data terminal such as a computer coupled to a signal transmitter such as a DTMF generator.

【0018】

In the example shown here, the NAM character is 30 digits, 25 of which have values from 0 to 9. In addition to this, it has a first character "*" to indicate the start of transmission, a character "#" to indicate the end of transmission, and a 3-digit cyclic redundancy check (CRC) coding segment, with information such as: It is transmitted in the form. * 000222013866366061003346366111 # BBB Where BBB is a CRC8 checksum byte. Once this information is received, detected, and stored on the telephone 101, the telephone 101 is then returned to normal voice telephone service operation. At this point, the subscriber is notified by the service operator that the telephone 101 is fully programmed and available.

【0019】

Next, a specific configuration of the wireless telephone 101 will be described. In FIG. 2, the radiotelephone 101 has a radiotelephone 201, which radiotelephone 201 is provided with a radio frequency transmitter / receiver 202 coupled to an antenna 203, such as a base station 102 such as a mobile cell site or Send and receive signals to and from other wireless phones.

【0020】

The message processor 205 is coupled to the transmitter / receiver 202 by a bidirectional signal line 204. The message processor 205 is for receiving and processing message type signals of the system. The audio processor 207 is coupled to the transmitter / receiver 202 by a bidirectional signal line 206. The audio processor 207 is for processing data signals and audio signals generated or received by the radiotelephone 101.

【0021】

The audio signal and the data signal on the signal line 206 are a signal given to the antenna 203 or a signal obtained from the antenna 203. A controller 208 is provided in the wireless transceiver unit 201, and is coupled to the message processor 205, the audio processor 207, and the transmitter / receiver 202 via the control bus 220. The handset interface 209 connects the audio processor 207 and the handset 210 to each other.

【0022】

A mode switch 211 is inserted between the handset interface 209 and the wireless transceiver 201, and the mode switch 211 is also coupled to the signal receiver 212. The signal receiver 212 is coupled to the transceiver controller 208 via the signal line 214. During the remote programming of the radiotelephone 101, that is, the downloading of the NAM instruction parameters, the signal on the signal line 213 received by the antenna 203 and output by the audio processor 207 is given to the signal receiver 212 by the mode switch 211.

【0023】

The signal receiver 212 may use a commercially available receiver, and can be composed of, for example, an integral DTMF receiver and Hitachi's 4-bit microprocessor HD404678. When the programming information on the signal line 213 from the audio processor 207 is a digital signal, the digital signal from the signal receiver 212 is directly fed to the processing unit 215 in the transceiver controller 208 to a memory circuit such as ROM 216. To memorize.

【0024】

If the programming information received by antenna 203 is a series of tone signals, the receiver 212 (in this case the tone signal receiver) sends this signal to the A / D converter 217 inside the transceiver controller 208. The given and converted digital output signal is stored in the ROM 216 under the control of the processing unit 215.

【0025】

In the above embodiment, the case where the remote programming of the radiotelephone 101 is performed by the touch tone signal transmission has been described, but the NAM instruction parameter can also be obtained by transmitting another type of signal regardless of whether it is a digital signal or not. Can be remotely downloaded.

【0026】

[Effect of the invention]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a radiotelephone programming method and a programmable radiotelephone that can be used by remotely programming a new subscriber's radiotelephone quickly and easily.

[Simple explanation of drawings]

[Figure 1]

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the radiotelephone communication system by one Example of this invention.

[Figure 2]

It is a block diagram which shows the specific configuration example of the wireless telephone in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

100 Telephone Exchange (TSO) 101 radiotelephone 102 base station 103 Two-way communication link 104 radio frequency antenna 105 Communication Service Supply Center 106 Two-way communication link 107 Private Telephone Exchange (PBX) 108 Service reception station 109 Programming activation key 201 Wireless Transceiver 202 transmitter / receiver 203 antenna 204 signal line 205 message processor 206 signal line 207 audio processor 208 transceiver controller 209 Handset interface 210 Handset 211 mode switch 212 signal receiver 213 signal line 214 signal line 215 Processing unit (CPU) 216 ROM 217 A / D converter 220 control bus