Method and apparatus for upgrading cellular mobile telephones

SWEDEN (12) PATENT (η) C2 (11) 517 286 (19) SE (51)

International class ⁷

H04Q 7/32

<img file="SE517286C2_D0001.tif" />

PATENT AND REGISTRATION (45) (41) (22) (24) (62) (86) (86)

Patent filed Application widely available The patent application was submitted on Running day

Tribal application number

2002-05-21

1995-05-22

1995-03-22

1994-07-29 (21) Patent Application Number 9501027-8

Application received as:

(83)

International filing date 1994-07-29 Filing date for European patent application Deposit of microorganism Swedish patent application completed international patent application with number PCT / US94 / 08552 converted European patent application with number (30)

1993-07-30 US 099325 (73) (72) (74) (54) (56) (57)

Assignee

INVENTOR

AGENT

NAME

Ericsson GE Mobile Communications Research Triangle Park NC US Kjell Johansson, Bjärred SE, Mats NC US

Dr Ludwig Brann Patentbyrå AB Way and apparatus for upgrading mobile phones

Inc.,

Erik Gustav Lindoff, of cellular

Cary

CALLED PUBLICATIONS: - - SUMMARY:

An upgrade device for upgrading a mobile phone having a main memory (15), which comprises a module reader (20) provided on the mobile phone and a software upgrading module card arranged to be temporarily connected to the mobile phone by plugging in the module reader (20). The card has means for storing upgrading software to be transferred to the main memory of the mobile phone. The apparatus further comprises means, arranged in the mobile phone, for transferring the upgrading software to the main memory (15).

<img file="SE517286C2_D0002.tif" />

The numbers in brackets indicate international identification code, INID code. Letters in clamps indicate international document code.

<td colspan="4">PRV Patent uses the following document codes for its patent documents</td><td rowspan="2"></td>

<td>code</td><td>cleartext</td><td>code</td><td>cleartext</td>

<td>A</td><td>widely available patent application</td><td>L</td><td>widely available</td><td></td>

<td>B</td><td>pamphlet *</td><td>TI</td><td>translation of the requirements of European patent application</td><td></td>

<td>B5</td><td>corrected layout letter *</td><td>T2</td><td colspan="2">correction of translation of the requirements of European patent application</td>

<td>C</td><td>patent *</td><td>T3</td><td>translation of European patent</td><td></td>

<td>Cl</td><td>patent *</td><td>T4</td><td>translation of European patent in amended form</td><td></td>

<td>C2</td><td>patent</td><td>T5</td><td>corrected translation of European patent</td><td></td>

<td>C3</td><td>corrected patent</td><td>T8</td><td>corrected translation of European patent</td><td></td>

<td>C5</td><td>corrected patent *</td><td>T9</td><td>corrected translation of European patent</td><td></td>

<td>C8</td><td>corrected front page to patent</td><td></td><td></td><td></td>

<td>E</td><td>patent in amended version</td><td></td><td></td><td></td>

<td>E8</td><td>corrected front page to patent in amended version</td><td></td><td></td><td></td>

<td>VL</td><td>corrected patent in amended version</td><td colspan="2">* Published under older legislation</td><td> )</td>

/ Country Codes

<td> £2</td><td>African Regional</td><td>CN</td><td>China</td><td>KI Kiribati</td><td>RU</td><td>Russian Federation</td>

<td></td><td>Industrial Property</td><td>CO</td><td>Colombia</td><td>KM Comorema</td><td>RW</td><td>Ruanda</td>

<td></td><td>Organization (ARIPO)</td><td>CR</td><td>Costa Rica</td><td>KN St Kitts</td><td>SA</td><td>Saudi Arabia</td>

<td>EA</td><td>Euroasian Patent Office</td><td>CU</td><td>Cuba</td><td>KP Dem. People's Republic of Korea</td><td>SB</td><td>Salomonöama</td>

<td></td><td>(EAPO)</td><td>CV</td><td>Cape Verde</td><td>KR Republic of Korea</td><td>SC</td><td>Seychelles</td>

<td>EP</td><td>European Patent Office</td><td>CY</td><td>Cyprus</td><td>KW Kuwait</td><td>SD</td><td>sudan</td>

<td></td><td>(EPO)</td><td>CZ</td><td>The Czech Republic</td><td>KY Cayman Island</td><td>SEE</td><td>Sweden</td>

<td>OA</td><td>African Intellectual</td><td>THE</td><td>Germany</td><td>KZ Kazakhstan</td><td>SG</td><td>singapore</td>

<td></td><td>Property Organization</td><td>DJ</td><td>djibouti</td><td>LA Laos</td><td>SH</td><td>St. Helena</td>

<td></td><td>(OAPI)</td><td>DK</td><td>Denmark</td><td>LB Lebanon</td><td>SI</td><td>Slovenia</td>

<td>WO</td><td>World Intellectual</td><td>DM</td><td>dominica</td><td>LC Saint Lucia</td><td>SK</td><td>Slovakia</td>

<td></td><td>Property Organization</td><td>DO</td><td>Dominican Republic</td><td>LI Liechtenstein</td><td>SL</td><td>Sierra Leone</td>

<td></td><td>(WIPO)</td><td>DZ</td><td>Algeria</td><td>LK Sri Lanka</td><td>SM</td><td>San Marino</td>

<td>IB</td><td>WIPO (in some cases)</td><td>EC</td><td>Ecuador</td><td>LR Liberia</td><td>SN</td><td>senegal</td>

<td></td><td></td><td>EE</td><td>Estonia</td><td>LS Lesotho</td><td>SE</td><td>somalia</td>

<td>A.D</td><td>Andorra</td><td>EC</td><td>Egypt</td><td>LT Lithuania</td><td>SR</td><td>Suriname</td>

<td>AE</td><td>United Arab Emirates</td><td>ES</td><td>Spain</td><td>LU Luxembourg</td><td>ST</td><td>Säo Thomé</td>

<td>AF</td><td>Afghanistan</td><td>ET</td><td>Ethiopia</td><td>LV Latvia</td><td>EN</td><td>El Salvador</td>

<td>AG</td><td>Antigua</td><td>FI</td><td>Finland</td><td>LY Libya</td><td>SEW</td><td>Syria</td>

<td>al</td><td>anguilla</td><td>FJ</td><td>Fiji islets</td><td>MA Morocco</td><td>SZ</td><td>swaziland</td>

<td>AL</td><td>Albania</td><td>FK</td><td>Falklandsöama</td><td>MC Monaco</td><td>TD</td><td>Chad</td>

<td>AM</td><td>Armenia</td><td>FR</td><td>France</td><td>MD Moldova</td><td>TG</td><td>Togo</td>

<td>AN</td><td>Netherlands Antilles</td><td>GA</td><td>Gabon</td><td>MG Madagascar</td><td>TFI</td><td>thailand</td>

<td>AO</td><td>angola</td><td>GB</td><td>UK</td><td>MK Macedonia</td><td>TJ</td><td>Tajikistan</td>

<td>ARE</td><td>Argentina</td><td>DG</td><td>grenada</td><td>ML Mali</td><td>TM</td><td>turkmenistan</td>

<td>AT</td><td>Austria</td><td>GIVE</td><td>Georgia</td><td>MM Mayanmar</td><td>TN</td><td>Tunisia</td>

<td>AU</td><td>Australia</td><td>GH</td><td>Ghana</td><td>MN Mongolia</td><td>TO</td><td>tonga</td>

<td>AZ</td><td>Azerbaijan</td><td>GI</td><td>Gibraltar</td><td>MR Mauritania</td><td>TR</td><td>Turkey</td>

<td>BA</td><td>Bosnia too</td><td>GM</td><td>gambia</td><td>MS Monsterrat</td><td>TT</td><td>Trinidad and Tobago</td>

<td></td><td>Herzegovina</td><td>GN</td><td>guinea</td><td>MT Malta</td><td>TV</td><td>tuvalu</td>

<td>BB</td><td>barbados</td><td>GQ</td><td>Equatorial Guinea</td><td>MU Mauritius</td><td>TW</td><td>taiwan</td>

<td>BD</td><td>bangladesh</td><td>GR</td><td>Greece</td><td>MV Maldivema</td><td>TZ</td><td>tanzania</td>

<td>ASK</td><td>Belgium</td><td>GT</td><td>Guatemala</td><td>MW Malawi</td><td>UA</td><td>Ukraine</td>

<td>BF</td><td>Burkina Faso</td><td>GW</td><td>Guinea Bissau</td><td>MX Mexico</td><td>UG</td><td>Uganda</td>

<td>BG</td><td>Bulgaria</td><td>GY</td><td>guyana</td><td>MY Malaysia</td><td>US</td><td>United States (USA)</td>

<td>BH</td><td>bahrain</td><td>HK</td><td>Hong Kong</td><td>MZ Mozambique</td><td>UY</td><td>uruguay</td>

<td>Bl</td><td>Burundi</td><td>HN</td><td>honduras</td><td>NA Namibia</td><td>UZ</td><td>uzbekistan</td>

<td>BJ</td><td>benin</td><td>HR</td><td>Croatia</td><td>NG Nigeria</td><td>VA</td><td>Vatican City</td>

<td>BM</td><td>bermuda</td><td>HT</td><td>Haiti</td><td>NI Nicaragua</td><td>VC</td><td>St Vincent</td>

<td>STAY</td><td>bolivia</td><td>HU</td><td>Hungary</td><td>NL The Netherlands</td><td>VE</td><td>venezuela</td>

<td>BR</td><td>Brazil</td><td>ID</td><td>Indonesia</td><td>NO Norway</td><td>VG</td><td>Virgin Islands</td>

<td>BS</td><td>Bahamaöama</td><td>IU</td><td>Ireland</td><td>NP Nepal</td><td>VN</td><td>Viet Nam</td>

<td>BT</td><td>Bhutan</td><td>IL</td><td>israel</td><td>NR Nauru</td><td>VU</td><td>vanuatu</td>

<td>BW</td><td>Botswana</td><td>IN</td><td>India</td><td>NZ New Zealand</td><td>WS</td><td>samoa</td>

<td>VILLAGE</td><td>Belarus</td><td>IQ</td><td>Iraq</td><td>OM Oman</td><td>YD</td><td>South Yemen</td>

<td>BZ</td><td>belize</td><td>IR</td><td>Iran</td><td>PA Panama</td><td>YE</td><td>Yemen</td>

<td>CA</td><td>Canada</td><td>ICE</td><td>Iceland</td><td>PE Peru</td><td>YU</td><td>Yugoslavien</td>

<td>CF</td><td>central African</td><td>IT</td><td>Italy</td><td>PG Papua New Guinea</td><td>ZA</td><td>South Africa</td>

<td></td><td>Republic</td><td>JM</td><td>jamaica</td><td>PH Philippines</td><td>ZM</td><td>Zambia</td>

<td>CG</td><td>Congo</td><td>YES</td><td>Jordan</td><td>PK Pakistan</td><td>ZR</td><td>Zaire</td>

<td>CH</td><td>Switzerland</td><td>JP</td><td>Japanese</td><td>PL Poland</td><td>ZW</td><td>Zimbabwe</td>

<td>Cl</td><td>iVORY COAST</td><td>KE</td><td>Kenya</td><td>PT Portugal</td><td></td><td></td>

<td>CL</td><td>chile</td><td>KG</td><td>Kyrgyzstan</td><td>PY Paraguay</td><td></td><td></td>

<td>CM</td><td>Cameroon</td><td>KH</td><td>Cambodia</td><td>RO Romania</td><td></td><td></td>

517 286

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a method of upgrading cellular mobile phones, in particular a method of upgrading cellular mobile phones using a software upgrading module card, also called Software Upgrading Module card (SUM). The SUM card can be used in the holder with the connector (SIM card reader), which is located in mobile phones intended for a SIM card, ie a module card which indicates the identity of a subscriber (Subscriber Identity Module card). - From time to time, it is necessary to upgrade the software in cellular mobile phones. Such an upgrade can, for example, consist of providing new and better or corrected software, software that tailors the mobile phone to a particular subscriber's needs, or software that updates the phone with new features, e.g. so that the mobile phone can be used as a pager for other services offered in other networks, local or global.

Cellular mobile phones used in GSM cellular networks in Europe are sold today independently by a network operator. The subscriber then buys a SIM card which is permanently installed in a SIM card reader present on the mobile phone. The SIM card looks like a normal credit card (or it may be a much smaller card intended for use in handheld phones) but contains a complete microcomputer with memory. Once the SIM card is installed in the phone, it checks if the subscription is valid and that the card is not stolen, by making a check call to the home database. The SIM card may also have the ability to store user information, e.g. a list of speed dials, ie short codes for telephone numbers to which you often call.

When a subscriber wants to upgrade his terminal or his mobile phone to gain access to new services or new networks, he must bring the phone or send it to the company responsible for service and updating. The mobile phone

517 286 is thereby physically connected via a galvanic, magnetic, optical or other hardware to a computer located at the service company. The new software is entered into the mobile phone via the hardware connection. Alternatively, a service company technician can replace a memory device in the mobile phone. In any case, the subscriber must go to or submit the mobile phone to the company to have the new features implemented on his mobile phone or to get software changes.

Seen from the other side, the service company must have a separate service department or equivalent that receives and keeps track of mail-transmitted mobile phones and the like. receives and keeps track of the mobile phones that subscribers bring with them. This is a disadvantage both for the service company and for the subscriber and such a procedure is also very expensive.

In America, a subscriber who wants to upgrade his or her mobile phone must take this to a service center for upgrading via a hardware connection.

U.S. Patent No. 5,061,845 to Pinnavaia discloses a removable memory card that contains semiconductor devices on the substrate and which is approximately the size of a credit card. The memory card is easy to handle by the user and can be inserted into the desired equipment. This patent differs from memory expansion by using additional memory cards that are plugged into ports on the side of the casing of a personal computer or from additional single-row modular cards, which must be installed in locations that are difficult to access on the motherboard while the computer is off. The memory card according to Pinnavaria is intended for use on personal computers, gaming controllers or laser printers.

U.S. Patent 5,212,368 to Hara discloses a toy containing a card reading unit intended to be used in conjunction with a card on which game parameters are stored in machine-readable form. Other data cards for various applications are also known.

Compare eg U.S. Patents 5,193,053, 5,038,273, and 4

517 286

968 864. However, none of these patents discloses a method and apparatus for upgrading cellular mobile phones using a temporarily installed SUM card.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for upgrading mobile phones in a better and more efficient manner in order to overcome the disadvantages initially described. Another object of the invention is to provide a method and apparatus for upgrading mobile telephone terminals, which apparatus can be distributed to the subscribers by mail.

It is yet another object of the invention to provide a method and apparatus for upgrading mobile phones, which apparatus may be used by the subscriber at a suitable time for the subscriber.

According to an embodiment of the invention, this comprises an apparatus for upgrading a mobile phone which has a main memory, the apparatus comprising a module reader arranged in the mobile phone and a software upgrading module card, hereinafter called module card, arranged to be temporarily connected to the mobile phone by plugging in the module reader. The module card includes means for storing upgrading software to be transferred to the main memory of the mobile phone. The apparatus further comprises transfer means provided in the mobile telephone for transferring the upgrading software to the main memory.

/

The invention also relates to a method of upgrading a mobile phone, which method comprises the steps of temporarily inserting a software upgrading module card, hereinafter called cold module card, into the mobile phone card reader and upgrading the software in a memory provided in the mobile phone, from the software stored in a memory, which is provided on the module board.

517 286

The invention also relates to a method of upgrading a mobile phone comprising the steps of detecting whether or not a temporary software upgrading module card is inserted in the mobile phone card reader, and the dm module card is inserted upgrading the software stored in a memory in the mobile phone from the software stored in it. temporarily inserted module board.

DESCRIPTION

The invention will be described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1A is a block diagram of a mobile telephone and a SUM card in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 1B is a block diagram of a SUM card according to a Figs. 2A and 2B are block diagrams showing schematically the organization of a memory in the mobile phone and the present invention, respectively. of a memory in the SUM card according to one embodiment of the invention, and Fig. 3 is a flow chart of the software which is arranged in a mobile phone according to one embodiment of the invention.

SPECIAL DESCRIPTION PART z

The present invention can be applied to any radio communication system in which mobile phone terminals are equipped with a SIM card reader or any other type of hardware reader that a user can easily access and remove. At present, each GSM terminal is equipped with a SIM card reader in accordance with the GSM specifications. If it happens in the future that American cell phone terminals are modified so

517 286 that they contain a SIM card reader or any other type of module card reader, it is intended that the present patent should also be used in the US mobile phones. However, for reasons of clarity, the invention will be described in connection with a GSM mobile phone. If it happens that the terminal is equipped with some other type of easily accessible and removable hardware, the term SIM card or SUM card is meant to include such type of hardware as well.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, suitable software is provided within the mobile telephone terminal and corresponding software upgrading module cards. The special upgrading software available on the module board is defined on the basis of the need to upgrade the memory in this GSM terminal. Specifically, parts or all of the control software in the mobile phone can be replaced as a result of corrections and / or updates. The term update is used in this patent in the sense that the term refers to changes or corrections to existing software or software-controlled provision of new services or a software tool creating access to new features.

The term SUM is the acronym for Software Upgrading Module, ie software upgrading module. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the SUM card has the same physical dimensions as a SIM card of the type used in the GSM system. Internally, however, the SIM card and the SUM card behave as two completely different devices. The SUM card according to one embodiment of the invention contains only a memory, preferably a ROM memory, which can be read by the computer in the mobile telephone terminal or in the mobile phone. Other types of memories may also occur. According to another embodiment, the SUM card may also contain a microprocessor and / or a battery or other power source. Memory data in the SUM card consists of different types of data. In one and the same SUM card, one of the following data types can be stored or some of them can be stored in the same SUM card or all of these data types can be stored in the SUM card, namely:

517 286 • identification data for the individual SUM card;

• identification data indicating which terminal types can be upgraded with the SUM card;

• data on 'warranty information';

• data regarding the allowable period of use of services that become available after the upgrade, eg that the user can purchase a special service for a limited period of time;

• identification data that tells the terminal the data type stored in the SUM card, ie if the SUM card is intended for software upgrading, for the addition of new services, etc .;

• upgrade data;

• area for check sum or for check data;

and / or • a data area that can be changed during or after an upgraded procedure, which data area may be part of or identical to one or more of the other data areas, e.g. that the data regarding the allowable period of use of the service can be changed to zero after the upgrade of the terminal.

Mobile phones in cellular networks, hereinafter referred to as mobile phones, are today subject to development. Cellular phone users are demanding new qualities that today's implementation cannot meet if only the aforementioned data types are available. Therefore, the purpose of the present invention is that data types other than those listed above and needed to implement these new qualities and services should be able to be stored in the SUM card of the present invention.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, any subscriber should be able to upgrade his cellular mobile telephone terminal using the upgraded SUM card. Instead of having to receive mobile phones from any subscriber who wants or needs to upgrade his mobile phone, the manufacturer of the mobile phones, or the company responsible for service or upgrading, should be able to mail

517 286 distributing each type of upgrading software. This gives subscribers better service at a lower cost compared to existing technology.

Fig. 1A shows in block diagram form a mobile telephone terminal 1. The telephone 1 comprises a CPU 10 for controlling the functions of the mobile phone, a display 5 for displaying information to the user and a transciever 12 for sending and receiving telephone messages. A main memory 15 is provided for storing applications used by the mobile phone. The mobile phone 1 also contains a module reader 20 which can read a SIM card, a SUM card 22 in accordance with the present invention or other detachable memory elements. According to one embodiment of the present invention, a SUM card 22 comprises only a memory 15 'for storing upgrading software. However, other configurations of the SUM card may be conceived as described in connection with Fig. 1B. The SUM card of the present invention has the same dimensions as today's known SIM cards used in GSM.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, a backup memory 18, hereinafter referred to as security memory, is provided to reduce the risk of malfunctions or errors resulting from software change. The security memory may be sized to accommodate all or only portions of the memory 15. The security memory 18 may be a separate memory unit as shown in Fig. 1A, or it may consist of a separate, not shown, security memory area in the memory 15. Only verified versions of the various information blocks are entered in the security memory. If a malfunction or error occurs in the normal memory area, e.g. due to incorrect transmission from the SUM card, the information in the security memory 18 will override the false information. This is monitored by an error routine, which is provided in the mobile phone to handle malfunctions.

A security memory can be of any type. In a preferred embodiment, the security memory is a flash memory or EEPROM or some other similar type of non-volatile memory.

517 286

The memory may consist of one or more memory elements, e.g. ICkretsar.

Fig. 1B is a block diagram of a SUM card 22 'in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, a more intelligent SUM card 22 'comprising a memory, a microprocessor and / or an optional battery is provided. The card can have the same physical form as today's SIM card. The CPU 225 microprocessor can perform the functions of verifying that the upgrade is done for the correct mobile phone and — an increase in the reliability of data transfer from the SUM card to the mobile phone.

The first function to verify that the correct mobile phone is upgraded includes a handshake procedure, with or without encoding, between the microprocessor, CPU 10, in the phone and CPU 225 on the SUM card 22 '. Only after completing the handshake procedure and then the CPU 225 has approved that it is the correct mobile phone to be upgraded, the upgrade procedure described in Fig. 3 inserts. For example, the handshake may involve checking the telephone identification number stored in the memory 15 of the telephone against an identification number stored in the memory 15 'of the SUM card 22 when sent to the user. Other embodiments of the handshake procedure will be apparent to those skilled in the art who are aware of the present disclosure.

The second function, to increase the reliability of data transfer, can be implemented by programming the program that the phone CPU 10 executes in such a way that the program repeats the information it receives from the SUM card 22 'and sends this information back to SUM card 22 '. The CPU 225 processor in the SUM card 22 'can then be used to check that the correct data has been transmitted to the telephone by comparing the information received from the telephone with the corresponding information stored in the memory 15' of the SUM card. In the event of an error being detected, the CPU 225 processor in the SUM card 22 '

517 286 »t» ♦ order a new data transfer. The implementation of this operation will increase the need for a security memory 18 in the telephone.

As can be seen from Fig. 1B, the SUM card 22 'contains a power source 230. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the power source consists of a battery. The battery is not necessary to power the CPU 225 processor in the SUM card 22 'as the CPU 225 processor can be powered from the phone in all normal operating modes. However, if the SUM card 22 'is equipped with some kind of power source, a real-time clock 228 may be provided on the SUM card e.g. in order to give the information in the SUM card 22 'a limited lifetime.

Fig. 2A shows a way of organizing the memory in the mobile station according to an embodiment of the present invention. It will be appreciated that this is not the only way in which such memory can be organized to effect the present invention.

The memory 15 has a boot area 25 which must not be changed by the control software. This boot area is used to start the functions of the mobile phone 1. A signaling area 30 stores information regarding the signaling that is performed between the mobile phone and the base stations of the mobile telephone network. Another area for services and functions stores information regarding the functions and services that the individual mobile phone is equipped with, including such functions and services that are present and those that may come in the future. An empty area 40 is available to enable expansion of the mobile phone's services and functions.

r

One can foresee that the functions and services stored in the area 35 in the future may contain e.g. voice activated dialing, hands-free functions, either duplex or simplex (HF), data transmission including reception and / or transmission and vice versa, fax transmission, the automatic answering service, the short message service, the function of changing the mobile phone to a home phone and / or using a internal or

517 286 external speakers. Other services and additional services can be developed over time and can be added to the mobile phone by upgrading using the SUM card of the present invention.

Fig. 2B shows a way of organizing the memory 15 'of the SUM card. It will be appreciated that this is not the only way in which this memory can be organized to effect the present invention.

The memory 15 'contains an identification area 26 which stores information about the identification of the card as a SUM card which is valid for upgrade purposes. An area 30 'for information regarding signaling and an area 35' for information regarding services and functions stores information regarding signaling and resp. for features and functions to be transmitted to corresponding areas 30 and 35 in memory 15.

Fig. 3 shows an example of a software routine which is provided in the mobile phone and which is used to upgrade the memory of the mobile phone in accordance with preferred embodiments of the present invention. The detailed programming of the displayed routine in the mobile phone memory is within the scope of one of ordinary skill in the art. The software routine is stored in memory 15 and executed by processor 10.

To upgrade a mobile phone, the subscriber inserts the temporary SUM card 22, 22 'into the module card reader 20. When the mobile phone is turned on, the processor begins to execute the software routine shown in Fig. 3.

in

The routine step 50 involves detecting whether a user has inserted a module card of some kind. In the next step 55, it is determined whether the module card is a standard GSM SIM card for validation of the subscription and approval of the subscriber. If so, step 60 activates normal GSM network activities. 0m the installed module card is not a standard GSM-SlM card is checked if the module card is valid for upgrade purposes based on the

517 286 information stored in the identification area 26 (step 65) If the installed card is not valid for upgrade purposes, the error function error routine is activated in step 70 to take care of the malfunctions. The error signal signals the malfunction, displays the appropriate text in the digit window 5 and resets the phone. Other functions suitable for the fault routine can also be performed if desired.

The functions described in steps 55 and 65 can be performed in a number of ways. For example, the processor 10 may assume that the detected module card is a SIM card. When processor 10 attempts to contact the card, the processor will not get any useful information from the card if the assumption is incorrect and the card is in fact a SUM card. The test in step 55 will then return a no. The processor 10 will then assume that the card is a valid SUM card. In step 65, when identifying data in SUM memory 15 'is read, processor 10 will have data compared to data in phone memory 15. If the data from the card is in a list of allowed data, the SUM card is considered valid for upgrade purposes. If the data card is not included in the mentioned list, the card is not considered to be a valid SUM card. The list of allowed identification data can be changed by upgrading the phone's memory in accordance with the method and apparatus of the present invention.

If the SUM card is valid for upgrading, the upgrade functions will be shown in the display 5 in step 75.

If the detected information from the SUM card indicates that the software in the mobile terminal should be changed, e.g. to correct software bugs, the display 5 will show all software should be changed in step 80. The routine then changes all software in the mobile terminal except in the boot area, in step 85 from information provided by the upgrading software stored in the SUM card.

517 286

If the answer in step 80 is no, in step 90 it is investigated whether new services should be installed in the mobile phone. If this is done, the corresponding message is shown in the display 5 and the control is handed over to step 95. In step 95, the new services are installed in the mobile terminal based on information provided in the upgrading software stored in the SUM card.

If the option at step 90 is no, step 100 investigates whether new features should be opened in the mobile phone. By using this function of the SUM card it is possible to give the user access to functions that are in the mobile phone at its manufacturing stage but which are not automatically activated and which require a password for their activation. According to this embodiment, the SUM card can be used to provide the password, giving the user access to the previously installed functions. In step 105, the new functions are opened in the mobile terminal.

Although Fig. 3 shows the three functions of the SUM card, ie changing the software in the mobile terminal, adding riya services or opening functions in the mobile terminal, as alternatives to one another, the person skilled in the present description text will realize that all three functions or combinations of these can be provided on a single SUM card. It is therefore within the scope of one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the control software.

Following steps 85, 95 and 105, the control passes to step 110, in which an error checking routine is performed. The error checking routine checks the mobile terminal's checksum and function tests. The error checking routine in step 110 is used to determine whether any errors have occurred in the transmission of data from the SUM card. This can be done e.g. in that the CPU CPU 225 confirms the data it receives from the CPU 110 against the data stored in memory 15 '. Alternatively, the processor 10 itself can check for errors. If errors are detected, the security memory is used because it contains only verified copies of the authenticate 517 286 versions of various information blocks in the memory. This routine overrides the information in the normal memory area with the information in the security memory area. Specifically, if an error is detected, the control passes to step 115 in which the error function routine executes. This error routine signals the malfunction by displaying appropriate text in the display 5 and by resetting the mobile phone.

If the error checking routine in step 110 goes through without any errors being detected, OK is shown in the display in step 120, which indicates that the transfer could have been performed without any errors. In step 125, the mobile phone is ready to be used.

Although the above embodiment has been described with respect to certain areas of memory, other information stored in memory may be upgraded using the SUM card of the present invention. In addition, other services can be added to existing mobile phones by utilizing the SUM card of the present invention as such services and features are developed and made available '.

The invention can be modified and varied within the scope of the appended claims.

517 286