Telecommunications – Radiotelephone system – Zoned or cellular telephone system
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-25
2003-01-28
Trost, William (Department: 2683)
Telecommunications
Radiotelephone system
Zoned or cellular telephone system
C455S435100, C455S517000, C455S462000, C370S331000, C370S338000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06512922
ABSTRACT:
This invention relates to the provision of information services, such as Internet services for example, which can be accessed by a subscriber via a mobile subscriber terminal, such as a mobile ‘phone.
The invention has particular application to the provision of such services utilising the infrastructure of a cellular radio telecommunications network such as that provided currently by GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) or by future third generation systems known as UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System).
The invention exploits “Agent” technology by which means, software code can be moved from one host platform to another.
Applicants co-pending Application EP 99 400 773.0 describes a method for accessing an information service in a telecommunications network. The method includes the steps of detecting at a subscriber terminal a request input for an information service; comparing a parameter of the request input with a stored value; selecting an action list depending upon the comparison and transmitting a demand for execution of the action list to the network. The network responds by executing the action list and transmitting the requested information back to the subscriber terminal. Communication between the terminal and the network is performed by means of “Agents” which are pieces of mobile software code.
Applicant's co-pending Application EP 98 400 960.5 discloses a method of handling data in a system comprising a subscriber terminal and a communications network. This method provides a host platform for receiving an
Agent associated with the terminal permitting, at the host platform, communication between the Agent and at least one other Agent.
The purpose of an Agent is to transfer and receive information and to execute tasks. The Agent representing the subscriber terminal can be, for example, a Java™ applet.
Pieces of software code can be encapsulated by or embedded in an Agent and can be specific to a subscriber terminal. It is thus possible to execute any kind of user-defined function on data gathered by the subscriber-associated Agent or provide services offered by existing service providers, for example, stock exchange fluctuation updates or bank account monitoring.
A host platform can be thought of as an Agent Meeting Place (AMP) and in the above reference this is located at a base station comprising a radio telecommunications system.
Each Agent Meeting Place comprises an Agent System which can create, interpret, execute and transfer Agents. Examples of suitable Agent systems are those defined by the Foundation for Intelligent Physical Agents (FIPA) and the Mobile Agent Facility Specification of the Object Management Group (MAFOMG). Agent systems provide security functions, for example authentication and information confidentiality functions, such as, data encryption.
An Agent Meeting Place (AMP) typically comprises, for example, a Yellow Pages service, a White Pages service, a unique naming service, a management system that controls the life-cycle and mobility of the Agent associated with a subscriber terminal and a transparent communications service. They can also provide a database facility to store data intended to stay on the AMP platform permanently. Communications between the Yellow Pages service, the White Pages service, the management system, the transparent communications service, or the database facility can be achieved by providing a respective Agent for each of the services or facility. Alternatively, the Yellow Pages service, the White Pages service, the management system, the transparent communications service, or the database facility can be a dedicated Agent containing the data stored by the Yellow Pages service, the White Pages service, the management system, the transparent communications service, or the database facility, respectively. The Yellow Pages service is a service provided to any Agent, by the AMP for looking-up services provided by other Agents residing locally at the respective AMP. The Yellow Pages service can optionally search all Agent systems forming an Agent community. The White Pages service is a service which covers all Agents which are currently resident on the AMP where the White Pages service is located, i.e. locally, for determining the existence of another Agent locally.
The address of an AMP can be, for example, a ‘phone number or a TCP/IP address and can be known by means of the Yellow Pages service. A default AMP address is assigned to each Agent in order to ensure an initial inter-Agent communications can be set up. AMPs can communicate with other AMPs or other Agent systems to exchange messages or Agents via the transparent communications service.
An Agent associated with a subscriber terminal can register and de-register with an AMP in the following, known manner.
The Agent associated with a subscriber terminal calls a toll-free number, and establishes a radio link between the terminal and the AMP.
The terminal's Agent resides in a memory of the terminal on an aglet platform. The Agent is translated through Java on the terminal and then serialised through the underlying Java layers. The Agent is then transmitted to the AMP The Agent is sent, using a TCP/IP protocol known in the art, in packets, using a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS).
Once received, the Agent is then deserialised, translated back through the underlying Java at the AMP and then reverts to aglet form, Access to the AMP is thereby achieved.
The Agent then registers with the AMP, in order to register to the Yellow Pages service, the White Pages service and the Agent management system of the AMP. The registration procedure uses the security functions defined by the service provider, i.e. authentication and information security. Consequently, the terminal's Agent becomes known and accessible to any other Agents present at the AMP.
During the registration procedure, the terminal's Agent can also provide information, for example, current information about the terminal represented by its Agent. The current information about the terminal can include the services capabilities of the terminal, for example, third party calling or conference calling, the radio link quality, bit rate, or maximum bit error rate. The current information can be stored in a database facility of the AMP by a database Agent.
The terminal's Agent can then execute an assigned task or mission. The assigned task or mission can be a dialogue between the Agent and any other Agent residing at the AMP and/or a referral to the database facility of the AMP. The communication protocol between Agents is provided by the AMP, as specified by FIPA Agent Communication Language (ACL). The assigned task can also be the execution of Agent code on the AMP, for example, the performance of functions, such as on data. The execution of Agent code therefore allows functions to be carried out so as to manipulate the information or data gathered at the AMP.
If necessary, information is sent back to the terminal. At any time whilst its Agent resides at the AMP, the Agent can send messages to the terminal. This information is sent back via a Short Messaging Service (SMS). Also, at any time whilst the Agent resides at the AMP, a message can be sent to the Agent from the terminal in order to update it. This can be achieved via the toll-free number or by using the TCP/IP protocol as described above. The structure of the message is defined by various standards bodies, for example, FIPA or MAF-OMG, or by proprietary technology such as Agents. The information to update the Agent can be routed to the agent by means of addressing techniques known in the art, since the Agent and any other Agents resident at the AMP possess specific ID numbers associated with the Agents assigned by the unique naming service as described above.
The terminal's Agent can de-register from the AMP. De-registration from the AMP removes all the references to the first Agent from the unique naming service, the Yellow Pages service, and the White Pages service. However, the references to the Agent i
Burg Bernard
Schmitt Alan
Taib Ronnie
Haas Kenneth A.
Motorola Inc.
Yun Eugene
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