WO2009036230A1

WO2009036230A1 - Method and apparatus for reading records in a wireless communication device

Info

Publication number: WO2009036230A1
Application number: PCT/US2008/076098
Authority: WO
Inventors: Manikantan Subramanian
Original assignee: Motorola, Inc.
Priority date: 2007-09-13
Filing date: 2008-09-12
Publication date: 2009-03-19

Abstract

A method and apparatus for reading records in a wireless communication device (200) is disclosed. The method may include issuing (420) a select command, with respect to an elementary file, to a removable subscriber module (285) in a wireless communication device, the removable subscriber module including a plurality of elementary files, each elementary file including a plurality of records. The method can also include receiving (430), in response to issuing the select command, a response including attributes of the elementary file, the attributes including a record information tag length value object, the record information tag length value object including a tag field, a length field, and a plurality of bits, each bit of the plurality of bits corresponding to each record in the elementary file, wherein a bit is set to a selected state to indicate the corresponding record is empty. The method can further include reading (440), based on the bits in the tag length value object, records of the elementary file while ignoring the records that are indicated as empty.

Description

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR READING RECORDS IN A WIRELESS

COMMUNICATION DEVICE

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is related to application entitled "An Enhanced Refresh Method and Device," Motorola case number CS33521 and "Method and Apparatus for Updating Records in a Wireless Communication Device Using a Refresh Proactive Command," Motorola case number CS33520, filed on even date herewith and commonly assigned to the assignee of the present application, which are hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND

1. Field [0002] The present disclosure is directed to a method and apparatus for reading records in a wireless communication device. More particularly, the present disclosure is directed to reading records in a wireless communication device based on records in a removable subscriber module.

2. Introduction [0003] Presently, wireless communication devices, such as cell phones, personal digital assistants, portable computers with wireless ability, or the like can use removable subscriber modules to interact with a wireless network. A removable subscriber module can include user information, network information, and other information useful for enabling the wireless communication device to operate on a wireless network. The removable subscriber module can also include records stored in elementary files. For example, an elementary file on a removable subscriber module may include phone book entry records, short messaging service records, or other useful records. A wireless communication device using the removable subscriber module can access these elementary files when interacting with a user or with the wireless network. Because it may take time to access the elementary files on the removable subscriber module, the wireless communication device can cache or store copies of the elementary files to reduce the access time. [0004] The number of records for a given file is determined when the removable subscriber module is programmed. Thus, a file may be large even if only a small number of records are actually used. In order to represent that a given record is empty, the removable subscriber module has to fill that record with all bytes as OxFF. [0005] Unfortunately, a wireless communication device can only determine that a record is empty when it reads the complete record and then checks for the presence of all OXFF in a given record. For example, if a file has 250 records, each of 20 Bytes, out which only 10 records are valid and the rest are empty, there is no way for a wireless communication device to know that remaining 240 records are empty until it reads all those records one after the other. Thus, the wireless communication device would have to read (240*20) = 4.8Kbytes of data from the removable subscriber module, which are all OXFF and which will only be discarded, after they are read. [0006] Most user information related files, such as a phonebook file, Short Messaging Service (SMS) files, and the like, are fairly large files. If a large percentage of the records in the files are empty records, the empty records do not need to be exchanged between the wireless communication device and the removable subscriber module. Such requires a large amount of time in order to read the empty records. [0007] There is no method to determine whether a record is empty or not, other than actually reading the record. For files with large numbers of empty records, this results in an extremely inefficient interface. The most obvious example is a 'Please Wait' dialog displayed on a cellular phone when the phonebook accessed immediately after power up. In extreme cases, this dialog is displayed for several minutes. This is becoming very critical, as removable subscriber module manufacturers have recently released cards providing 1000 phonebook entries. As the phonebook size continues to increase, the initialization time required during power up to process the phonebook entries will increase as well.

[0008] Thus, there is a need for a method and apparatus method and apparatus for updating records in a wireless communication device using a select command.

SUMMARY

[0009] A method and apparatus for reading records in a wireless communication device is disclosed. The method may include issuing a select command, with respect to an elementary file, to a removable subscriber module in a wireless communication device, the removable subscriber module including a plurality of elementary files, each elementary file including a plurality of records. The method can also include receiving, in response to issuing the select command, a response including attributes of the elementary file, the attributes including a record information tag length value object, the record information tag length value object including a tag field, a length field, and a plurality of bits, each bit of the plurality of bits corresponding to each record in the elementary file, wherein a bit is set to a selected state to indicate the corresponding record is empty. The method can further include reading, based on the bits in the tag length value object, records of the elementary file while ignoring the records that are indicated as empty.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] In order to describe the manner in which the above-recited and other advantages and features of the disclosure can be obtained, a more particular description of the disclosure briefly described above will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof which are illustrated in the appended drawings.

Understanding that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the disclosure and are not therefore to be considered to be limiting of its scope, the disclosure will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings in which:

[0011] Fig. 1 is an exemplary block diagram of a system according to one embodiment;

[0012] Fig. 2 is an exemplary block diagram of a wireless communication device according to one embodiment;

[0013] Fig. 3 is an exemplary block diagram of a removable subscriber module according to one embodiment;

[0014] Fig. 4 is an exemplary flowchart illustrating the operation of a wireless communication device according to another related embodiment; and [0015] Fig. 5 is an exemplary flow diagram outlining the operation of a mobile device and a subscriber card according to another related embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0016] Fig. 1 is an exemplary block diagram of a system 100 according to one embodiment. The system 100 can include a network 110, a terminal 120, and a base station 130. The terminal 120 may be a wireless communication device, such as a wireless telephone, a cellular telephone, a personal digital assistant, a pager, a personal computer, a selective call receiver, or any other device that is capable of sending and receiving communication signals on a network including wireless network. The network 110 may include any type of network that is capable of sending and receiving signals, such as wireless signals. For example, the network 110 may include a wireless telecommunications network, a cellular telephone network, a Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) network, a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) network, a Third Generation (3G) network, a satellite communications network, and other like communications systems. Furthermore, the network 110 may include more than one network and may include a plurality of different types of networks. Thus, the network 110 may include a plurality of data networks, a plurality of telecommunications networks, a combination of data and telecommunications networks and other like communication systems capable of sending and receiving communication signals. In operation, the terminal 120 can communicate with the network 110 and with other devices on the network 110 by sending and receiving wireless signals via the base station 130.

[0017] Fig. 2 is an exemplary block diagram of a wireless communication device 200, such as the terminal 120, according to one embodiment. The wireless communication device 200 can include a housing 210, a controller 220 coupled to the housing 210, audio input and output circuitry 230 coupled to the housing 210, a display 240 coupled to the housing 210, a transceiver 250 coupled to the housing 210, a user interface 260 coupled to the housing 210, a memory 270 coupled to the housing 210, an antenna 280 coupled to the housing 210 and the transceiver 250, and a removable subscriber module 285 coupled to the controller 220. The wireless communication device 200 can also include a select command module 290 and a read module 292. The select command module 290 and the read module 292 can be coupled to the controller 220, can reside within the controller 220, can reside within the memory 270, can be autonomous modules, can be software, can be hardware, or can be in any other format useful for a module on a wireless communication device 200. [0018] The display 240 can be a liquid crystal display (LCD), a light emitting diode (LED) display, a plasma display, or any other means for displaying information. The transceiver 250 may include a transmitter and/or a receiver. The audio input and output circuitry 230 can include a microphone, a speaker, a transducer, or any other audio input and output circuitry. The user interface 260 can include a keypad, buttons, a touch pad, a joystick, an additional display, or any other device useful for providing an interface between a user and an electronic device. The memory 270 may include a random access memory, a read only memory, an optical memory, or any other memory that can be coupled to a wireless communication device. [0019] Fig. 3 is an exemplary block diagram of a removable subscriber module 285 according to one embodiment. The removable subscriber module 285 can be a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM), a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) Subscriber Identity Module (USIM), a MegaSIM, or any other removable subscriber module. The removable subscriber module 285 can include a processor 310, an interface 320, and a memory 330. The memory 330 can include a master file (MF) 340, dedicated files (DF) 350, and elementary files (EF) 360. The elementary files can include one or more records. The processor 310 can control the operations of the removable subscriber module 285. The interface 320 can interface the removable subscriber module 285 with the wireless communication device 200. [0020] The removable subscriber module 285 can be used as storage device to store data related to a user of the wireless communication device 200 who subscribes to a wireless service. In the file system of the removable subscriber module 285, the actual data can be stored in the EFs 360. The EFs may be organized into different forms. One form can be a transparent file where the contents can be accessed and/or updated as a stream of bytes. Another form can be a linear fixed file where the contents can be accessed and/or updated as a single record where the data can be organized as a series of records and each record can be of a given or fixed length. These files may also be referred to as record files. There can be any number of records and typically the number of records in a file can be relatively large and can depend of the functionality or role of the file. [0021] When a record based file is programmed onto the removable subscriber module 285, an operator of the network 110 can decide the total number of records for a given file. At any given point in time, all of the records may not contain valid values. In order to indicate that a record is not valid or empty, the contents of the record can be filled with OxFF.

[0022] During power up, the wireless communication device 200 can read relevant files from the removable subscriber module 285 to determine user, operator, network, and other related information. When the wireless communication device 200 reads a record based file, it can read the file record by record until the complete file is read. The number of records present in a given EF and the number of bytes in each record can be predetermined and the wireless communication device 200 may not dynamically add or remove any records from removable subscriber module 285. [0023] According to the present disclosure, reading a record is not required to determine if it is empty. A Tag Length Value (TLV) object can be included in return data from a SELECT command issued on the file. The value field of the TLV object can contain one bit for each record in the file, with the bit being set for a used record, and clear for an empty record.

[0024] With this data, the wireless communication device 200 can selectively read just the used records and avoid unnecessary reads of empty records. With a typical use case of a removable subscriber module phonebook taking 2 minutes to initialize and a user that only uses 20% of the available removable subscriber module phonebook space, the initialization time can shrink to 24 seconds. The same method can be applied to other large, record based files, such as Short Messaging Service (SMS) files, Fixed Dialing Number (FDN) files, Bar Dialing Number (BDN) files, Service Dialing Number (SDN) files, and the like, resulting in similar improvements based on how many records are present in the file and what percentage are empty. With another common use case where the user does not use the removable subscriber module-based phonebook at all, initialization time can shrink to near zero. [0025] This method can be fully backwards compatible, both from the removable subscriber module 285 and the wireless communication device 200 perspective.

Older wireless communication devices that do not support processing of the new TLV object can ignore the object. Older removable subscriber modules that do not support the object do not have to send it. In either case, the end result is that processing of record based files can take the same amount of time as it did before. [0026] For example, consider a record based file, which consists of N records. One bit per record can be used to indicate whether that record is used or free. Z Bytes of information can be used where Z can be equal to N/8 (plus 1 if there is a remainder), to indicate the free and/or used details for all the records in a given EF. The wireless communication device 200 can issue a SELECT command to the removable subscriber module 285 to determine the attributes of the file, such as file size, record size, access attributes etc. The removable subscriber module 285 can return Z bytes of additional Information, which can represent the used and/or free information for all the records in that file. The wireless communication device 200 can then check to determine if the required record is marked as empty and in that case it can just ignore the record. Otherwise the wireless communication device 200 can read the record. [0027] The teachings of the present disclosure can reduce the power up time of a wireless communication device. Also, any removable subscriber module dependent application trying to read large files can do so faster and can reduce the number of read commands issued for the EF. Existing wireless communication devices can still work with the present disclosure because they can merely ignore the TLV objects that represent free and used information. Existing removable subscriber modules can also work with the present disclosure because it provides backward compatibility. The removable subscriber modules that do not support this solution do not need to provide the TLV objects. Furthermore, phonebook initialization, message box initialization, and the like can be done at faster rate. [0028] For example, the response for a select command on an EF can include a TLV including at least the fields listed below:

[0029] Where the File Descriptor can describe the TLV as a response to a select command on an EF. The File Identifier can identify the corresponding EF. The File size can indicate the size of the information. The Record information can be a TLV indicating which records should or should not be read. For example, the Record Information TLV can include at least the fields listed below:

[0030] Where the Tag can indicate the TLV as a record information TLV, the length can indicate the number of bit map bytes, and the bit map bytes can include indicators indicating whether a record is empty or not. For example, a "0" can indicate that the record is empty, such as that it contains all OxFF, so it need not be read by the wireless communication device 200. A "1" can indicate that the record is populated, so it should be read by wireless communication device 200. Any spare bits in the last byte can be set to 0 and can be ignored by the wireless communication device 200. An example of the first byte of the bit map bytes can appear as shown below:

[0031] Subsequent bytes can be coded as per first byte for subsequent records in the EF.

[0032] In operation of the wireless communication device 200 and the removable subscriber module 285 according to a related embodiment, the controller 220 can control the operations of the wireless communication device 200. The transceiver 250 can send and receive wireless signals. The removable subscriber module 285 can include a plurality of elementary files where each elementary file can include a plurality of records. The select command module 290 can issue a select command with respect to an elementary file to the removable subscriber module. The controller 220 can then receive, in response to the select command module issuing the select command, a response including attributes of the elementary file. The attributes can include a record information tag length value object. The record information tag length value object can include a tag field, a length field, and a plurality of bits. Each bit of the plurality of bits can correspond to each record in the elementary file, where the bit can be set to a selected state to indicate the corresponding record is empty. The read module 292 can read, based on the bits in the tag length value object, records of the elementary file while ignoring the records that are indicated as empty. [0033] The elementary file can be a phonebook elementary file and the records in the phonebook elementary file can include contact information. The elementary file can be a messaging service elementary file and the records in the messaging service elementary file can include messaging service messages. The removable subscriber module 285 can be a subscriber identity module including user information, operator information, and network information of the system 100.

[0034] The attributes can further include a file descriptor object, the file descriptor object indicating file accessibility and the file type and structure of the elementary file. The attributes can further include a file identifier that identifies the elementary file corresponding to the response. The attributes can further include a file size field that indicates the file size of the elementary file corresponding to the response. The tag field can be a tag byte and the length field can be a length byte. The plurality of bits can be included in a value section of the tag length value object. The value section can include a plurality of bytes including the plurality of bits. [0035] Fig. 4 is an exemplary flowchart 400 illustrating the operation of the wireless communication device 200 according to another embodiment. In step 410, the flowchart begins. In step 420, wireless communication device 200 can issue a select command, with respect to an elementary file, to the removable subscriber module 285. In step 430, the wireless communication device 200 can receive, in response to issuing the select command, a response including attributes of the elementary file. The attributes can include a record information tag length value object. The record information tag length value object can include a tag field, a length field, and a plurality of bits. Each bit of the plurality of bits can correspond to each record in the elementary file where the bit can be set to a selected state to indicate the corresponding record is empty. In step 440, the wireless communication device 200 can read, based on the bits in the tag length value object, records of the elementary file while ignoring the records that are indicated as empty. [0036] The elementary file can be a phonebook elementary file and records in the phonebook elementary file can include contact information. The elementary file can be a messaging service elementary file and records in the messaging service elementary file can include messaging service messages. [0037] The attributes can include a file descriptor object, the file descriptor object indicating file accessibility and the file type and structure of the elementary file. The attributes can further include a file identifier that identifies the elementary file corresponding to the response. The attributes can further include a file size field that indicates the file size of the elementary file corresponding to the response. The tag field can be a tag byte and the length field can be a length byte where the plurality of bits can be included in a value section of the tag length value object.

[0038] The wireless communication device 200 can perform an update command to erase a record, where the removable subscriber module 285 can determine the record has been erased to set a corresponding bit to a selected state to indicate the corresponding record is empty. The wireless communication device 200 can perform an update command to add information to an empty record, where the removable subscriber module 285 can determine the record has been updated to set a corresponding bit to a selected state to indicate the corresponding record is valid. In step 440, the flowchart 400 can end. [0039] Fig. 5 is an exemplary flow diagram 500 outlining the operation of a mobile device 510, such as the wireless communication device 200 and a subscriber card 520, such as the removable subscriber module 285 according to another related embodiment. In step 535, the mobile device 510 can select a required file. In step 540, the subscriber card 520 can provide information related to the selected file including the file type, the file size, access conditions, record size, the number of records (N), and a field including indicators corresponding to valid record numbers (i, j, k). In step 545, the mobile device 510 can issue a request to read record-i. In step 550, the subscriber card 520 can provide the contents of record-i. In step 555, the mobile device 510 can issue a request to read record-j. In step 560, the subscriber card 520 can provides the contents of record-j. In step 565, the mobile device 510 can issue a request to read record-k. In step 570, the subscriber card 520 can provide the contents of record-k. [0040] The method of this disclosure is preferably implemented on a programmed processor. However, the controllers, flowcharts, and modules may also be implemented on a general purpose or special purpose computer, a programmed microprocessor or microcontroller and peripheral integrated circuit elements, an integrated circuit, a hardware electronic or logic circuit such as a discrete element circuit, a programmable logic device, or the like. In general, any device on which resides a finite state machine capable of implementing the flowcharts shown in the figures may be used to implement the processor functions of this disclosure. [0041] While this disclosure has been described with specific embodiments thereof, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. For example, various components of the embodiments may be interchanged, added, or substituted in the other embodiments. Also, all of the elements of each figure are not necessary for operation of the disclosed embodiments. For example, one of ordinary skill in the art of the disclosed embodiments would be enabled to make and use the teachings of the disclosure by simply employing the elements of the independent claims. Accordingly, the preferred embodiments of the disclosure as set forth herein are intended to be illustrative, not limiting. Various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. [0042] In this document, relational terms such as "first," "second," and the like may be used solely to distinguish one entity or action from another entity or action without necessarily requiring or implying any actual such relationship or order between such entities or actions. The terms "comprises," "comprising," or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements does not include only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. An element proceeded by "a," "an," or the like does not, without more constraints, preclude the existence of additional identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises the element. Also, the term "another" is defined as at least a second or more. The terms "including," "having," and the like, as used herein, are defined as "comprising."

Claims

CLAIMSWe claim:

1. A method comprising: issuing a select command, with respect to an elementary file, to a removable subscriber module in a wireless communication device, the removable subscriber module including a plurality of elementary files, each elementary file including a plurality of records; receiving, in response to issuing the select command, a response including attributes of the elementary file, the attributes including a record information tag length value object, the record information tag length value object including a tag field, a length field, and a plurality of bits, each bit of the plurality of bits corresponding to each record in the elementary file, wherein a bit is set to a selected state to indicate the corresponding record is empty; and reading, based on the bits in the tag length value object, records of the elementary file while ignoring the records that are indicated as empty.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the elementary file comprises a phonebook elementary file, wherein records in the phonebook elementary file include contact information.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the elementary file comprises a messaging service elementary file, wherein records in the messaging service elementary file include messaging service messages.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the removable subscriber module comprises a subscriber identity module including user information, operator information, and network information of a wireless communication system.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the attributes further include a file descriptor object, the file descriptor object indicating file accessibility and the file type and structure of the elementary file.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the attributes further include a file identifier that identifies the elementary file corresponding to the response.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the attributes further include a file size field that indicates the file size of the elementary file corresponding to the response.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the tag field comprises a tag byte and the length field comprises a length byte, and wherein the plurality of bits are included in a value section of the tag length value object.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising performing an update command to erase a record, wherein the removable subscriber module determines the record has been erased to set a corresponding bit to a selected state to indicate the corresponding record is empty.

10. An apparatus comprising: a housing; a controller coupled to the housing, the controller configured to control the operations of the apparatus; a transceiver coupled to the controller, the transceiver configured to send and receive wireless signals; a removable subscriber module coupled to the controller, the removable subscriber module including a plurality of elementary files, each elementary file including a plurality of records; a select command module, the select command module configured to issue a select command with respect to an elementary file to the removable subscriber module, wherein the controller is configured to receive, in response to the select command module issuing the select command, a response including attributes of the elementary file, the attributes including a record information tag length value object, the record information tag length value object including a tag field, a length field, and a plurality of bits, each bit of the plurality of bits corresponding to each record in the elementary file, wherein a bit is set to a selected state to indicate the corresponding record is empty; and a read module configured to read, based on the bits in the tag length value object, records of the elementary file while ignoring the records that are indicated as empty.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the elementary file comprises a phonebook elementary file, wherein records in the phonebook elementary file include contact information.

12. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the elementary file comprises a messaging service elementary file, wherein records in the messaging service elementary file include messaging service messages.

13. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the removable subscriber module comprises a subscriber identity module including user information, operator information, and network information of a wireless communication system.

14. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the attributes further include a file descriptor object, the file descriptor object indicating file accessibility and the file type and structure of the elementary file.

15. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the attributes further include a file identifier that identifies the elementary file corresponding to the response.

16. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the attributes further include a file size field that indicates the file size of the elementary file corresponding to the response.

17. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the tag field comprises a tag byte and the length field comprises a length byte, and wherein the plurality of bits are included in a value section of the tag length value object.

18. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the value section comprises a plurality of bytes including the plurality of bits.

19. A method comprising : issuing a select command, with respect to an elementary file, to a removable subscriber module in a wireless communication device, the removable subscriber module including a plurality of elementary files, each elementary file including a plurality of records; receiving, in response to issuing the select command, a response including attributes of the elementary file, the attributes including: a record information tag length value object, the record information tag length value object including a tag field, a length field, and a plurality of bits, each bit of the plurality of bits corresponding to each record in the elementary file, wherein the bit is set to a selected state to indicate the corresponding record is empty; a file descriptor object, the file descriptor object indicating file accessibility and the file type and structure of the elementary file; a file identifier that identifies the elementary file corresponding to the response; and a file size field that indicates the file size of the elementary file corresponding to the response; and reading, based on the bits in the tag length value object, records of the elementary file while ignoring the records that are indicated as empty.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the tag field comprises a tag byte, the length field comprises a length byte, and wherein the plurality of bits are included in a plurality of bytes in a value section of the tag length value object.