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 - 31 . (canceled) 
     
     
         32 . A method for operating a cellular communications system including a remote station, comprising the steps of:
 selectively transmitting from the remote station to a cellular telephone a message, in a predetermined format, which is either of a first message type containing text or of a second message type containing an embedded command;   distinguishing an incoming message as being of either the first or second message type using the cellular telephone; and   decoding and acting upon said embedded command when a message of said second type is detected.   
     
     
         33 - 34 . (canceled) 
     
     
         35 . A telecommunications network for communicating with a plurality of cellular telephones, comprising:
 at least one remote station which selectably transmits, to one or more cellular telephones, a message, in a predetermined format, which is either of a first message type containing text or of a second message type containing an embedded command; and   wherein the cellular telephones distinguish an incoming message as being of either the first or second message type; and decode and act on said embedded command when a message of said second type is detected.   
     
     
         36 . A system for communicating between a remote station and a cellular telephone that includes a memory having first and second sets of memory locations, a display, and one or more processors, comprising:
 the cellular telephone receiving 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;   the one or more processors determining whether the message received by the cellular telephone is either of the first or second message type;   if the message is of the first message type, the one or more processors storing the message in the first set of memory locations; and   if the message is of the second message type, the one or more processors storing the message in the second set of memory locations;   wherein the first set of memory locations can be overwritten from the cellular telephone, and the second set of memory locations cannot be overwritten from the cellular telephone.   
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 36 , wherein the cellular telephone receiving is performed without requiring end user interaction. 
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 36 , wherein the write command comprises an embedded command. 
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 36 , wherein the messages of the first and second types are transmitted using a common protocol. 
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 39 , wherein the messages of the first and second types are formatted using a common formatting method. 
     
     
         41 . The system of  claim 36 , wherein one or more processors comprise a first processor and a second processor, the system further comprising;
 the first processor determining whether the message received by the cellular telephone is of either the first or second message type; and   the second processor executing the write command.   
     
     
         42 . The system of  claim 36 , wherein one or more processors comprise a first processor and a second processor, the system further comprising;
 the first processor determining whether the message received by the cellular telephone is of either the first or second message type, and, if it is determined that the message is of the first message type, writing at least a portion of the text to be displayed to the first set of memory locations; and   the second processor executing the write command and writing the associated write data to the second set of memory locations.   
     
     
         43 . The system of  claim 36 , further comprising:
 if the message received by the cellular telephone is of the second message type and contains invalid data, the second processor discards the message.   
     
     
         44 . The system of  claim 36 , further comprising:
 if the message received by the cellular telephone is of the second message type and contains corrupt data, the second processor discarding the message.   
     
     
         45 . The system of  claim 36 , further comprising:
 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.   
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the remote station sending is performed without requiring end user interaction. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the messages of the first and second types are transmitted using a common protocol. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the messages of the first and second types are formatted using a common formatting method. 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the cellular telephone includes a coupled first processor and a coupled second processor, the method further comprising:
 determining using the first processor whether the message received by the cellular telephone is of either the first or second message type; and   executing using the second processor the embedded command.   
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the cellular telephone includes a coupled first processor and a coupled second processor, the method further comprising:
 determining using the first processor whether the message received by the cellular telephone is of either the first or second message type, and, if it is determined that the message is of the first message type, writing at least a portion of the text to be displayed to a first set of memory locations on the cellular telephone; and   executing using the second processor the embedded command and storing associated data in a second set of memory locations.   
     
     
         51 . The network of  claim 35 , wherein the messages of the first and second types are transmitted using a common protocol. 
     
     
         52 . The network of  claim 35 , wherein at least one of the cellular telephones includes a coupled first processor and a coupled second processor, the network further comprising:
 the first processor determines whether the message received by the cellular telephone is of either the first or second message type; and   the second processor executes the embedded command.   
     
     
         53 . The network of  claim 35 , wherein at least one of the cellular telephones includes a coupled first processor and a coupled second processor, the network further comprising:
 the first processor determines whether the message received by the cellular telephone is of either the first or second message type, and, if it is determined that the message is of the first message type, writing at least a portion of the text to be displayed to a first set of memory locations on the cellular telephone; and   the second processor executes the embedded command and stores associated data in a second set of memory locations.