Over The Air Programming Via A Wireless Network

Abstract

In a communications system, one or more mobile devices may be programmed through the use of an assigned channel of a logical channel. For example, a broadcast control channel (BCCH) transmission may be received by one or more mobile devices, the transmission comprising a set of instructions to program the mobile devices. The BCCH transmission may be used to program certain mobile devices, such as a type or brand of device, or mobile devices having certain features, such as call waiting. The mobile device may be configured to accept a transmission, such as a packet in a GPRS network, on one channel while rejecting a transmission on other channels. Further, the mobile device may be reconfigured to accept additional channel transmissions or reject currently approved channel transmissions.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 assigning a function to a logical channel of a broadcast control channel of a cellular network;   generating a message packet comprising a header portion configured to identify the logical channel;   providing the message packet over the logical channel of the broadcast control channel;   wherein a mobile device configured to:
 determine whether the mobile device is configured for the logical channel; and 
 accept the message packet over the logical channel if the mobile device is configured for the logical channel. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving a rejection of the message packet if the mobile device is not configured for the logical channel. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein message packet comprises an instruction for the mobile device to reconfigure. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the instructions comprise at least a portion of a data portion of the message packet. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising storing a list functions associated with the logical channel and a plurality of other logical channels of the broadcast control channel. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the header portion comprises a message identification portion configured to specify the logical channel of the broadcast channel. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mobile device is further configured to perform the function. 
     
     
         8 . A mobile device comprising:
 a processor; and   memory coupled to the processor, the memory having stored thereon executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to effectuate operations comprising:
 receiving a message packet over a broadcast control channel, the message packet comprising a header portion configured to identify a logical channel of the broadcast control channel; and 
 determining if the mobile device is configured for the logical channel of the broadcast control channel. 
   
     
     
         9 . The mobile device of  claim 8 , wherein the operations further include rejecting the message packet if the mobile device is not configured for the logical channel. 
     
     
         10 . The mobile device of  claim 8 , wherein the operations further include accepting the message packet if the mobile device is configured for the logical channel. 
     
     
         11 . The mobile device of  claim 10 , wherein the operations further include reconfiguring the mobile device based on an instruction associated with the message packet. 
     
     
         12 . The mobile device of  claim 11 , wherein the instruction associated with the message packet comprises at least a portion of a data portion of the message packet. 
     
     
         13 . The mobile device of  claim 10 , wherein the operations further include performing a function indicated by a data portion of the message packet. 
     
     
         14 . The mobile device of  claim 10 , wherein the operations further include performing a function indicated by the logical channel. 
     
     
         15 . The mobile device of  claim 8 , wherein the operations further include storing a list of logical channels for which the mobile device is configured. 
     
     
         16 . The mobile device of  claim 8 , wherein the header portion comprises a message identification portion configured to specify the logical channel of the broadcast channel. 
     
     
         17 . The mobile device of  claim 8 , wherein the broadcast channel is a channel of a cellular network. 
     
     
         18 . A method comprising:
 receiving, at a mobile device, a message packet over a broadcast control channel, the message packet comprising a header portion configured to identify a logical channel of the broadcast control channel;   determining whether the mobile device is configured for the logical channel; and   rejecting the message packet if the mobile device is not configured for the logical channel.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the header portion comprises a message identification portion configured to specify the logical channel of the broadcast channel. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the message packet comprises a data portion indicative of a function to be performed by the mobile device.