Mobile terminal system

Abstract

A system, apparatus and method for enabling interaction between a mobile device and a dynamic list of remotely hosted applications. A mobile device is provided with a removable module implementing a virtual machine defined by a set of instructions. The mobile device requests an initial application from an application server. The application server generates a message, including a set of commands and any parametric information, such as text to be displayed, which is then compiled into executable code. The executable code is then forwarded to the mobile device for execution. The mobile device interprets the executable code and runs it, possibly causing text or a menu to be displayed. In a first embodiment, the mobile device requests a list of currently available applications and is provided with such a list by a first application server. The user is then able to select from the list of applications, some which can be located on other servers. In another embodiment, an application server initiates a communication by transmitting a set of commands causing one or more actions on the mobile device, such as the sounding of an audio alarm, the displaying of text, etc.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A mobile terminal system, comprising: 
 at least one mobile device for communication with at least one application server via a communication medium, said mobile devices having a user interface, a wireless communications interface and a removable module;    a virtual machine implemented by said removable module, said virtual machine defined by a set of instructions enabling management of said mobile device;    said removable module additionally having a wireless communication module enabling said virtual machine to receive a set of commands through said wireless communications interface from said at least one application server, said commands being chosen from said set of instructions; and    at least one application hosted by said at least one application server, said at least one application having a first network interface for sending said set of commands and receiving a set of client data.    
     
     
         2 . The mobile terminal system of  claim 1 , wherein said removable module and said at least one application server additionally comprise a cryptographic module to provide authentication between said mobile device and said at least one application server.  
     
     
         3 . The mobile terminal system of  claim 2 , wherein said cryptographic module encrypts and decrypts communication between said mobile device and said at least one application server.  
     
     
         4 . The mobile terminal system of  claim 2 , additionally comprising: 
 at least one certificate server able to receive a request for a digital certificate of one of said at least one application server and respond with said digital certificate, such that mobile device is able to obtain said digital certificate.    
     
     
         5 . The mobile terminal system of  claim 4 , wherein said at least one certificate server is able to receive a request for validation of a cached digital certificate stored on said mobile device and provide an updated digital certificate or a notification that said cached digital certificate could not be validated.  
     
     
         6 . The mobile terminal system of  claim 5 , wherein said digital certificate for said at least one other application server is transmitted by an OTA server to said mobile device.  
     
     
         7 . The mobile terminal system of  claim 1 , additionally comprising: 
 a gateway with a second network interface for sending and receiving a set of communications to and from said mobile device, a third network interface for sending and receiving said set of communications to and from said at least one application server and processing means to reformat said set of communications between a first protocol handled by said wireless communication interface of said mobile device and a second protocol handled by said first network interface of said application server.    
     
     
         8 . The mobile terminal system of  claim 4 , wherein said first protocol is SMPP.  
     
     
         9 . The mobile terminal system of  claim 4 , wherein said second protocol is TCP/IP.  
     
     
         10 . The mobile terminal system of  claim 1 , additionally comprising: 
 a first application server hosting a directory application, said directory application being configured to provide an application list response to said mobile device in response to an application list request from said mobile, enabling said mobile device to initiate interaction with one of said at least one application.    
     
     
         11 . The mobile terminal system of  claim 10 , wherein said first application server has knowledge of at least one other application hosted by at least one other application server, and said application list response includes a set of addresses for said at least other one application hosted on said at least one other application server.  
     
     
         12 . The mobile terminal system of  claim 1 , wherein said mobile device is a GSM Phase II+-compatible device and said removable module is a subscriber identity module.  
     
     
         13 . The mobile terminal system of  claim 1 , wherein said removable module is a universal subscriber identity module.  
     
     
         14 . The mobile terminal system of  claim 1 , wherein said set of instructions consists of one byte op-codes.  
     
     
         15 . The mobile terminal system of  claim 1 , wherein said virtual machine is implemented in an application specific integrated circuit on said module.  
     
     
         16 . The mobile terminal system of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one application server is in communication with at least one data server and one of said applications on said at least one application server is operable to request and receive a data object from said at least one information server, reformat said data object for said virtual machine and transmit said reformatted data object to said mobile device.  
     
     
         17 . The mobile terminal system of  claim 15 , wherein said data object is a web page.  
     
     
         18 . The mobile terminal system of  claim 15 , wherein said data server is a database server.  
     
     
         19 . A mobile terminal device, comprising: 
 a mobile device having a user interface, a removable module and a wireless communications interface for communicating with at least one application server;    said removable module implementing a virtual machine enabling management of said mobile device through a set of instructions provisioned by said virtual machine; and    a wireless communication module on said removable module enabling said virtual machine to transmit a set of client data through said wireless communications interface to said at least one application server and receive at least one command formed from said set of instructions.    
     
     
         20 . A removable module for use in a mobile device, comprising: 
 non-volatile memory means for storage of at least one application and a set of application data; and    said at least one application including a virtual machine defined by a set of instructions, and a communications module enabling said mobile device to receive a message in a first format natively handled by said mobile device and allowing the extraction from said message at least one command at least partially comprised of a subset of said set of instructions,    such that when said removable module is deployed in said mobile device, said mobile device is able to receive said at least one command from an application server.    
     
     
         21 . The removable module of  claim 20 , additionally comprising: a communications module for extracting said at least one command from said message.  
     
     
         22 . The removable module of  claim 21 , additionally comprising a cryptographic module to provide authentication between said mobile device and said application server.  
     
     
         23 . The mobile terminal system of  claim 22 , wherein said cryptographic module encrypts communication to and decrypts communication from said application server.  
     
     
         24 . The removable module of  claim 21 , additionally comprising: 
 processing means for executing said virtual machine; and    volatile memory means enabling the temporary storage of a set of runtime data by said virtual machine.    
     
     
         25 . The removable module of  claim 24 , wherein said mobile device is a GSM Phase II+-compatible device and said removable module is a subscriber identity module.  
     
     
         26 . The removable module of  claim 20 , wherein said set of instructions are mapped to one-byte op-codes.  
     
     
         27 . The removable module of  claim 20 , wherein said set of instructions enable said application server to remotely control said mobile device.  
     
     
         28 . The removable module of  claim 20 , wherein said set of instructions enables said virtual machine to receive said at least one command from said application server, allowing a user to initiate communication with a second application server upon selection thereof by a user of said mobile device.  
     
     
         29 . The removable module of  claim 20 , wherein said removable module is a universal subscriber identity module.  
     
     
         30 . The removable module of  claim 20 , wherein said virtual machine is implemented in an application specific integrated circuit on said removable module.  
     
     
         31 . An application server for enabling a mobile device to access an application, comprising: 
 a network interface for sending a set of messages to said mobile device and for receiving a set of communications from said mobile device, said mobile device implementing a virtual machine defined by a set of instructions, and said messages encapsulating at least one command chosen from said set of instructions; and    at least one application for interaction with said mobile device, said at least one application being operable to generate a set of directions for said mobile device, compile said set of directions into at least one command for execution by said virtual machine and package said at least one command in said set of messages natively handled by said mobile device.    
     
     
         32 . The application server of  claim 30 , wherein said virtual machine is implemented by a removable module of said mobile device.  
     
     
         33 . The application server of  claim 30 , wherein said instructions are mapped to a set of one-byte op-codes and wherein said at least one application compiles said set of directions at least partially into said one-byte op-codes.  
     
     
         34 . The application server of  claim 30 , wherein said application server initiates a session by transmitting said at least one command to said mobile device without having received at least one communication from said mobile device.  
     
     
         35 . The application server of  claim 30 , wherein said set of instructions enables said application server to remotely control said mobile device.  
     
     
         36 . The application server of  claim 30 , wherein said at least one application includes a directory application maintaining a list of applications accessible to said mobile device, said directory application being operable to receive an application list request from said mobile device and return an application list response comprised of said set of directions required to instruct said virtual machine to display a menu of said list of applications that enables a user of said mobile device to select one of said applications in said list of applications and initiate communications with said application selected.  
     
     
         37 . The application server of  claim 36 , wherein at least one of said applications on said list of applications is hosted by a second application server, and selection of one of said applications by said user of said mobile device causes said mobile device to initiate a session with said second application server.  
     
     
         38 . A method of adding an application to an application server accessed by a mobile device; comprising: 
 configuring said application for deployment on said application server;    updating an application list indicating a set of available applications on said application server;    receiving a request for said application list; and    responding to said request with said updated application list, said updated application list being compiled at least partially into a set of commands chosen from a set of instructions provided by a virtual machine implemented by a mobile device,    such that a user of said mobile device can select any one of said available applications from said application list and initiate interaction therewith.    
     
     
         39 . The method of adding an application to an application server of  claim 38 , wherein said virtual machine is implemented on a removable module of said mobile device.  
     
     
         40 . The method of adding an application to an application server of  claim 38 , wherein said set of instructions is comprised of one-byte op-codes.  
     
     
         41 . A system of managing a mobile device from a remote server, comprising: 
 a remote server having a network interface for transmitting at least one command in at least one command communication over a wireless protocol;    a mobile device having a user interface, a wireless communication interface and a removable module;    a virtual machine implemented on said removable module, said virtual machine having a set of instructions enabling control of said mobile device; and    said removable module having a wireless communication module for receiving said at least one command communication from said remote server received through said wireless communication interface, extracting said at least one command from said at least one command communication and forwarding said at least one command to said virtual machine, enabling said remote server to control said mobile device.    
     
     
         42 . A method of transferring sessional control on a mobile device from a first application hosted on a first application server to a second application hosted by a second application server, comprising: 
 sending at least one command selected from a set of instructions provided by a virtual machine implemented on a removable module of said mobile device from said first application on said first application server through a first network interface thereon to said mobile device, thereby enabling said mobile device to send an initial request to said second application hosted on said second application server.    
     
     
         43 . The method of transferring sessional control of  claim 42 , wherein said virtual machine is implemented by a removable module of said mobile device.  
     
     
         44 . The method of transferring sessional control of  claim 43 , wherein said removable module is a subscriber identity module.  
     
     
         45 . The method of transferring sessional control of  claim 42 , wherein said mobile device sends said initial request to said second application upon selection of said second application by a user of said mobile device.  
     
     
         46 . The method of transferring sessional control of  claim 42 , wherein said set of instructions are comprised of one-byte op-codes.