Telecommunications System

Abstract

In a telecommunications system such as a global mobile telephone network in which each subscriber unit includes a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM card), each SIM card has fixed memory locations, to which data can be addressed over the air. Some of the locations can not be overwritten from the subscriber unit but can be accessed therefrom on the entry of short simple codes, each associated with one of the locations. Further fixed memory locations can be read over the air only when the subscriber enters a personal identification number. Locking control files are used to control read/write access to the locations respectively.

1 - 30 . (canceled) 
     
     
         31 . (canceled) 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the first and second message types are formatted using a common encoding method which uses a set of n-bit words comprised of a first subset of the n-bit words that represent the text, and a second subset of the n-bit words represent commands, including the command. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the first message type and the second message ye are transmitted over a common channel. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the common channel is a GSM channel. 
     
     
         35 - 37 . (canceled) 
     
     
         36 . A telecommunications network for communicating with a plurality of mobile telephones comprising:
 at least one host station capable of sending a non-voice message to a particular one of the mobile telephones;   wherein the non-voice message is either a first type of message which does not include an embedded executable command or a second type of message containing an embedded executable command for at least some part of the mobile telephone;   wherein, the mobile telephone is configured to determine whether the non-voice message is of the first type of message or the second type of message;   wherein, if the non-voice message is of said first type, the mobile telephone displays the non-voice message; and   wherein, if the non-voice message is of said second type, the mobile telephone automatically and without end user intervention executes the embedded command; and   wherein said embedded commands, when executed, can affect voice call handling by said mobile telephones and said host thereafter.   
     
     
         37 . A method of communicating between a remote station and a cellular telephone capable of two-way voice communication comprising:
 selectively transmitting from the remote station to a cellular telephone a first message type containing text and no commands or a second message type containing a run command;   distinguishing an incoming message as being either the first or second message type using the cellular telephone;   if the incoming message is of the first message type, displaying the text on a display of the cellular telephone;   if the incoming message is of the second message type, automatically executing the run command; and   wherein the selectively transmitting is performed without requiring end user interaction.   
     
     
         38 . A method of communicating between a remote station and a cellular telephone capable of two-way voice communication comprising:
 selectively transmitting from the remote station to the cellular telephone a first message type containing text to be displayed to an end user of the cellular telephone or a second message type containing a command;   distinguishing an incoming message as being either the first or second message type using the cellular telephone;   if the incoming message is of the first message type, displaying the text on a display of the cellular telephone;   if the incoming message is of the second message type, the cellular telephone automatically executing executable code within the cellular telephone in response to the command; and   wherein the selectively transmitting is performed without requiring end user interaction.   
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the first and second message types are formatted using a common formatting method. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 38  further comprising:
 decoding and acting upon said embedded command and associated data when a message of said second type is detected.   
     
     
         41 . A method of communicating between a remote station and a cellular telephone capable of two-way voice communication, comprising the steps of:
 selectively transmitting from the remote station to the cellular telephone an SMS text message containing text;   selectively transmitting from the remote station to the cellular telephone an SMS command message containing a write command and associated write data to be written into a memory of the cellular telephone configured to store the write data, the cellular telephone including a SIM card that is removably coupled to the cellular telephone;   detecting an incoming communication as an incoming SMS message and passing the incoming SMS message to the SIM card using the cellular telephone;   processing the incoming SMS message an SMS command message or an SMS text message using the SIM card;   if the incoming SMS message is the SMS text message, then the SIM card causing at least a portion of the text contained in the SMS text message to be displayed on a display associated with the cellular telephone; and   if the incoming SMS message is the SMS command message, then the SIM card decoding the write command contained in the SMS command message.   
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the text and the write command are formatted using at least one shared encoding scheme in a shared communication channel. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the text and the write command are formatted using a common formatting method. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the common formatting method uses a set of n-bit words comprised of a first subset of the n-bit words that represent the text, and a second subset of the n-bit words represent commands, including the write command. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the SMS text message and the SMS command message are transmitted over a common channel. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 45 , wherein the common channel is a GSM channel. 
     
     
         47 . A method of communicating between a remote station and a cellular telephone that includes a memory, a display, a first processor, and a second processor, the method comprising the steps of:
 receiving at the cellular telephone from the remote station a message which can be of either a first message type containing text to be displayed to an end user of the cellular telephone, or a second message type containing a write command and associated write data to be written to the memory;   if the message is the first message type, the first processor displaying some or all of the text on a display of the display; and   if the message is the second message type, the second processor automatically, and without end user intervention, executing the write command and writing the associated write data to the memory.   
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein the cellular telephone receiving is performed without requiring end user interaction. 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein the write command comprises an embedded command. 
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein the messages of the first and second types are transmitted using a common protocol. 
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein the messages of the first and second types are formatted using a common formatting method. 
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein the memory includes a first set of memory locations that are accessible to the cellular telephone, and a second set of memory locations that cannot be overwritten from the cellular telephone, the method further comprising the steps of:
 if the message received by the cellular telephone is of the first message type, the first processor storing at least a portion of the text to be displayed in the first set of memory locations; and   if the message received by the cellular telephone is of the second message type, the second processor storing the associated write data in the second set of memory locations.   
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein the memory includes a first set of memory locations that can be overwritten from the cellular telephone, and a second set of memory locations that cannot be overwritten from the cellular telephone, the method further comprising the steps of:
 if the message received by the cellular telephone is of the first message type, the first processor storing at least a portion of the text to be displayed in the first set of memory locations; and   if the message received by the cellular telephone is of the second message type, the second processor storing the associated write data in the second set of memory locations.   
     
     
         54 .- 55 . (canceled) 
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein if the message received by the cellular telephone is of the second message type, the second processor determining whether it contains corrupt or invalid data, and if the second processor determines that the message contains corrupt or invalid data, the second processor discarding the message.