EP2425336A1

EP2425336A1 - Mobile operating system management method and system

Info

Publication number: EP2425336A1
Application number: EP10730207A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Yinghua Li; Hao Wang; Jianguang Zhao
Original assignee: France Telecom SA
Current assignee: Orange SA
Priority date: 2009-04-30
Filing date: 2010-04-15
Publication date: 2012-03-07
Also published as: WO2010125473A1

Abstract

A method for configuring a host System of a mobile user equipment, said mobile user equipment being connected to a subscriber identity module, said subscriber identity module comprising at least one communication interface and allowing the storage of an operating system, said method comprising, for the host system of the mobile user equipment, the acts of communicating on a first communication interface with the subscriber identity module to exchange control information; determining, using the control information, if the operating system is compatible with the host system of the mobile user equipment and a second communication interface is available on the memory module; the method further comprising, when the operating system is compatible with the host system, the act of communicating on the second communication interface when available with the subscriber identity module to exchange data associated with the operating system, said data allowing the execution of the operating system.

Description

Mobile Operating System Management method and system

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates in general to telecommunication devices and more specifically to mobile user equipments.

Background of the Invention

In telecommunications, mobile user equipments have become part of the everyday life. In particular, they are becoming more and more useful for communicating with people, but also with devices. A number of useful applications are embedded and/or used on mobile user equipments. And, as some of these applications are user-related, there are two major needs: one concerns security and the other concerns the user's environment on the user equipment.

The authentication of the user and/or the user equipment guarantees a level of security to the user and to the telecommunication network operator that provides to the user equipment access to a set of services through his telecommunication network. The authentication is mainly performed using a standardized Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card that is inserted in the mobile user equipment. The user's environment on the user equipment is defined through the host system of the user equipment, the Operating System (OS) and some applications. The host system of a mobile user equipment comprises the hardware and software components that allow running and managing said mobile user equipment along with associated applications. In particular, the host system allows, when compatible (or after a compatibility check), the launch and run of an Operating System. The Operating System is a software application that is usually stored in a memory unit of the host system of a user equipment. The OS manages the different hardware and software units that allow running the mobile user equipment. As described on Figure 6, the OS needs to be first booted or started or launched when the user equipment is switched on and then run or executed to manage the different user equipment hardware and software units. When the user equipment is switched on or reset in act 1010, a reset of the hardware is performed in act 1020 then a boot loader allowing the start of the OS is loaded and run in act 1030. The OS is loaded and run by the boot loader in act 1040. Then, in act 1050, OS-related application(s) is/are mounted or run to complete the OS start and the OS is running in act 1060. This operating system management allows in particular launching applications. User's environment related applications, such as, for example, customized user interfaces, are stored in the memory of the mobile user equipment or stored on an external memory unit.

Until recently SIM cards did not have a lot of memory capacity, processing speed, communication speed nor rich user interfaces and could not thus been used to provide the user with customized services from the network operator. This is mainly because the applications had so far to be stored and run by the OS on the mobile user equipment.

Recently, High Capacity (HC) SIM cards have appeared and allow addressing the memory and processing limitations mentioned here above.

HC SIM cards allow in particular to store and run an OS from said HC SIM cards. Document EP1843556 describes a hardware solution that allows booting an OS on a mobile user equipment and further run said OS on a HC SIM card. However, the solution described in EP1843556 is based on a new hardware component named smartcard bus controller which makes it not possible to use on standard mobile user equipment without hardware enhancements.

Furthermore, existing solutions do not provide choice and/or selection of the OS to be run based on user equipment and/or operator requirements.

Today there is no solution for a telecommunication network operator to easily deliver SIM card customized services to standard user equipments thus improving efficiency of telecommunication services.

Today there is a need for a telecommunication solution that can be easily implemented on the existing communication infrastructures.

Summary of Invention

It is an object of the present system to overcome disadvantages and/or make improvement over the prior art.

To that extend, the invention proposes a method for configuring a host system of a mobile user equipment, said mobile user equipment being associated with a subscriber identity module, said subscriber identity module comprising at least one communication interface and allowing the storage of an operating system, said method comprising, for the host system of the mobile user equipment, the acts of:

- communicating on a first communication interface with the subscriber identity module to exchange control information,

- determining, using the control information, if the operating system is compatible with the host system of the mobile user equipment and a second communication interface is available on the memory module, the method further comprising, when the operating system is compatible with the host system, the act of communicating on the second communication interface when available with the subscriber identity module to exchange data associated with the operating system, said data allowing the execution of the operating system.

The invention also proposes a system according to claim 6.

The invention also proposes a mobile user equipment according to claim 11.

The invention also proposes a subscriber identity module according to claim 16.

The invention also proposes a readable computer program according to claim 17.

The user of a SIM card may use said SIM card in different User Equipments. It allows said user to keep his environment and user-related data such as e.g. phone number, list of contacts etc... while changing from User Equipment of terminal.

The present invention allows the Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) to be used as an effective service distribution medium for operator-customized applications, since it is logistically far easier to customize SIM cards rather than handsets.

High memory capacity, high process speed Central Processing Unit (CPU) and high speed interfaces of existing SIM cards enable storing and running an operator-specific operating system provided by said SIM cards. For a mobile user equipment (such as e.g. a telecommunication mobile terminal), a SIM Operating System may implement all features of said mobile user equipment. For a Ultra Mobile Personal Computer (UMPC) or a laptop computer, the SIM OS may implement a light OS to get basic services from operators.

The present invention proposes a general solution of splitting an OS provided by a SIM card into several parts to make the SIM OS portable and compatible with existing mobiles user equipments.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described solely by way of example and only with reference to the accompanying drawings, where like parts are provided with corresponding reference numerals, and in which:

Figure 1 schematically illustrates an illustrative embodiment of the system according the present invention;

Figure 2 schematically illustrates an illustrative embodiment of the system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 3A schematically illustrates an illustrative embodiment of the method according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 3B schematically illustrates an illustrative embodiment of the method according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 3C schematically illustrates an illustrative embodiment of the method according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 3D schematically illustrates an illustrative embodiment of the method according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 4 schematically illustrates an illustrative embodiment of the system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 5 schematically illustrates an illustrative embodiment of the system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 6 schematically illustrates a booting method according to the prior art. Description of Preferred Embodiments

The following are descriptions of exemplary embodiments that when taken in conjunction with the drawings will demonstrate the above noted features and advantages, and introduce further ones.

In the following description, for purposes of explanation rather than limitation, specific details are set forth such as architecture, interfaces, techniques, devices, etc., for illustration. However, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that other embodiments that depart from these details would still be understood to be within the scope of the appended claims.

Moreover, for the purpose of clarity, detailed descriptions of well-known devices, systems, and methods are omitted so as not to obscure the description of the present system. Furthermore, routers, servers, nodes, gateways or other entities in a telecommunication network as well as components such as memory, Central Processing Unit (CPU), communication buses, communication interfaces and other common entities of a mobile user equipment are not detailed as their implementation is beyond the scope of the present system and method.

Unless specified otherwise, the exemplary embodiment will be described hereafter in its application to a mobile user equipment of a wireless telecommunication network.

In addition, it should be expressly understood that the drawings are included for illustrative purposes and do not represent the scope of the present system.

The description of the present invention is made here under using a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM). This is in no way limiting as the present invention concerns more generally any memory card with two communication interfaces. Figure 1 describes the system according to the present invention wherein a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) 20 is connected to a User Equipment (UE) 10 through a communication network 30. For example, the SIM 20 may be inserted inside a specific slot mounted in the User Equipment 10. Once inserted into said specific slot, connections are made between connectors on the SIM 20 and connectors of the communication network 30 on the specific slot, allowing the SIM 20 to be connected to the User Equipment 10 via communication network 30. Communication network 30 may be part of the User Equipment 10 or independent of said User Equipment 10. Communication network 30 may be wireline or wireless communication network.

Examples of user equipments are mobile phones, smart phones, Personal digital Assistants (PDA), Pocket Personal Computer (Pocket PC), Ultra Mobile Personal Computer (UMPC), Mobile Internet Device (MID), laptop computers, Personal Computers (PC) etc...

In the system according to the invention, the SIM 20 may comprise basic functions of a traditional SIM such as e.g. identification of a user, storing the user's phone number and personal security key(s), storing Short Message Service (SMS) messages, storing user's contacts, storing lists of available services, network communication unit to exchange data with a telecommunication network using e.g. SMS messages, storing applications etc...

Figure 2 describes an illustrative embodiment of the system according to the invention wherein the communication network 30 referring to Figure 1 comprises at least a control communication interface 33 and a high data rate communication interface 36. In an illustrative embodiment of the system according to the invention, the User Equipment 10 comprises a Host System 11 that may have its own UE Central Processing Unit (CPU) 17, memory and communications ports, in particular ports to communicate with the SIM 20 via the communication network 30 referring to Figure 1, and more particularly via control communication interface 33 and a high data rate communication interface 36.

The User Equipment 10 may also have its own Operating System (OS) running on UE CPU 17. An Operating System (OS) is an interface between hardware and applications. The OS is in charge of the management and coordination of the different tasks performed by the User Equipment 10 and the sharing of resources of the User Equipment 10. Typically, an Operating System may comprise an Operating System Kernel (OS Kernel), device drivers and applications. The OS Kernel is the central component of most user equipment (or computer) operating systems. The OS Kernel allows managing the user equipment resources (i.e. hardware and software components). As a basic component of an OS, an OS Kernel provides the lowest-level layer for managing resources (especially memory, processors and I/O devices) that allow software applications to run. The OS Kernel typically makes these hardware and software resources available to applications. Device drivers allow communicating with their corresponding devices (such as for example user equipment screen, user equipment audio system etc.).

In an illustrative embodiment of the system according to the invention, the Host System 11 of the User Equipment 10 comprises a UE CPU 17 and a UE Boot Loader 15 for Operating System boot up. A Boot Loader is a piece of software that allows starting an Operating System. Typically, a Boot Loader initializes the hardware and/or software environment to launch the OS using said hardware and/or software. In an illustrative embodiment according to the present invention, the host system and more precisely the Boot Loader 15 carries out the method according to the invention as described here under.

In the system according to the invention, the SIM 20 comprises an extended memory or memory unit 22 and some processing capabilities, such as for example a Central Processing Unit (CPU) or SIM CPU 24. The memory unit 22 is an extended memory that allows storing and/or loading data files and in particular an OS. In an illustrative embodiment of the system according to the invention, an external OS is provided, for example by a telecommunication operator or provider, on the SIM 20, and more specifically on the SIM Memory Unit 22 of SIM 20. Today, thanks to new kinds of SIM, this is possible. The stored or loaded OS may then be run either on the SIM 20 using said SIM CPU 24, or loaded onto the UE 10 then run using the UE CPU 17, or run directly onto SIM 20 using the UE CPU 17.

Communication of control data with SIM 20 is performed by User Equipment 10 through the control communication interface 33. An example of such a control communication interface 33 is the ISO7816 Standard SIM card control communication interface used on traditional mobile user equipments. The control communication interface 33 allows exchanging control data between the SIM 20 and the UE 10. For example, it allows the UE 10 to obtain context or control information from SIM 20 such as for example, whether the SIM 20 exists, is compatible, valid to communicate with, etc... It also allows in particular obtaining information about the high data rate communication interface 36 (e.g. whether it exists, the type of interface etc.). The high data rate communication interface 36 may be a high data rate communication interface or link such as for example a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface, Multimedia card interface (MMC) interface, etc... High data rate communication interface 36 allows exchanging loads of data such as data files, and in particular whole or parts of an OS stored on the SIM 20, to and/or from the UE 10.

Some of the data exchangeable on the control communication interface 33 and the high data rate communication interface 36 using the method according to the invention will be described here under in reference to Figure 3.

Figure 3A describes an illustrative embodiment of the method according to the invention for configuring the host system 11 of a mobile user equipment 10 wherein:

- the mobile user equipment 10 is associated with a subscriber identity module 20,

- the subscriber identity module 20 allows the storage of an operating system.

An illustrative embodiment of the method according to the invention allows configuring the host system of a mobile user equipment 10 for launching an OS stored on the extended memory or memory unit of the SIM 20 in order to operate said mobile user equipment.

The mobile user equipment 10 is connected to the subscriber identity module (SIM) 20. The subscriber identity module 20 comprises at least one communication interface and allows the storage of an operating system.

In act 110, the host system 11 of the mobile user equipment 10 communicates on a first interface, namely control communication interface 33, with the subscriber identity module 20 to exchange control information. The host system may request control information from the SIM 20 such as, for example:

- if the SIM 20 is valid,

- if the SIM 20 comprises a second interface, namely high data rate communication interface 36,

- if said second interface is available,

- the type of the second interface (USB, CCM etc.),

- the protocol supported by the second interface (e.g. USB 2.0 Full-Speed/High Speed (FS/HS), USB Inter-Integrated Circuit (HC) etc.), hardware resource allocation of the second interface such as e.g. contact pins assignment by the SIM 20 as described here under referring to Figure 3C;

- if an OS is stored on the SIM 20 (i.e. in the memory unit 22 of SIM 20),

- the location or address of the memory unit 22 of said OS,

- the hardware architecture supported by the OS, e.g.:

- the type and series of CPU used (e.g. OS Supports, ARM™ (Basic Architecture) + ARM926EJ-S™ (Detailed version), ARM™ + ARM1136EJF-S™, ARM™ + Cortex-A8™, MIPS™ (Basic Architecture) + MIPS32 M4K™ (Detailed version), Power PC™ ...

- the hardware resources required by the OS, such as e.g. Memory size larger than 32MB, 64MB or 128MB etc.; timer or some periodic signal source,

- any mandatory hardware peripheral required by the OS, such as e.g. real-time clock (for getting current time), output peripheral (serial port, LCD graphic screen, text/ Dot-Matrix display, Null Device ...); watch dog timer (to prevent system from halting, it allows making host device automatically reset when software deadlock); etc. - any mandatory hardware device driver required by the OS such as e.g.:

- Memory Management Unit (MMU) driver. MMU controls how the physical memory is allocated in the "Memory Space" and if a specific program may access a specific memory area. MMU is a hardware always combined with a specific hardware architecture (e.g. ARM926EJ-S™ means ARM™ core version 5, ARM9EJ-S™ series, with MMU, Cache and Java support;

- Cache driver. Cache is a special, fast memory for data and instruction temporary storage for CPU. It also associated with hardware architecture;

- Interrupt Controller driver. Interrupt is a mechanism to handle external events. A hardware unit on chip named interruption controller allows handling interruption requests.

- some or all drivers for mandatory peripherals.

SIM 20 responds to the host system requests for instance whether it is valid or not, its working condition, its interface types, the requirements of the OS stored on its memory unit 22, etc...

As it is standardized through the ISO7816 Standard SIM card control communication interface in most of mobile user equipments, this first or control communication interface 33 is usually the only way of communicating control information between the mobile user equipment 10 and SIM 20.

In act 120, the host system 11 of the mobile user equipment 10 determines, using the control information, if the operating system is compatible with the host system of the mobile user equipment. The host system 11 analyzes the responses sent by SIM 20 during act 110 to the requirements for the OS to run and the host system 11 may thus decide whether the OS is compliant or compatible with it (in other words if the OS may be executable to manage the mobile user equipment 10). The host system 11 of the mobile user equipment 10 also determines in act 120 if a second communication interface, namely high data rate communication interface 36 is available on the memory module using the control information received from SIM 20 via the control communication interface 33.

In optional act 130, the host system 11 of the mobile user equipment 10, when the operating system is compatible with the host system, communicates on the second interface, namely high data rate communication interface 36, with the subscriber identity module 20 to exchange data associated with the operating system, said data allowing running or operating the operating system. The use of the second or high data rate communication interface 36 is motivated by the fact that most of OS-related data exchanged require a high data rate that would be thus provided by said second or high data rate communication interface.

The exchange of data associated with the operating system may comprise for example:

- transferring the whole operating system from the SIM 20 to the host system 11 in order to run it on the hosts system 11,

- transferring parts of the operating system from the SIM 20 to the host system 11 and keeping the other parts of the operating system on SIM 20 in order to either:

- run the operating system on the host system 11 and calls processes or data stored on the SIM 20,

- run the operating system on the SIM 20 and calls processes or data stored on the host system 11, - running the operating system on the SIM 20 and sending commands to the host system 11 to operate said host system in order to manage the mobile user equipment 10.

In an illustrative embodiment of the method according to the invention, the method is carried out by the host system 11 of the mobile user equipment 10.

In an additional embodiment, the method may be carried out more precisely by a Boot Loader 15 of the host system 11 of the mobile user equipment 10.

A boot loader allows starting or launching an operating system so as to manage a mobile user equipment or a computer. For example, a boot loader is run when the mobile user equipment is switched on in order to initialize and run the OS along with the hardware and software components that further allow said mobile user equipment to work or operate.

In the method according to the invention, Boot Loader 15 allows initializing and running an OS stored on a SIM 20 in order to manage the mobile equipment 10.

Thus, upon switching on of the mobile user equipment 10, the Boot Loader 15 starts running first to allow:

- communicating on the control communication interface 33 with the subscriber identity module 20 to exchange control information,

- determining, using the control information, if the operating system is compatible with the host system 11 of the mobile user equipment 10 and a high data rate communication interface 36 is available on the memory module.

The Boot Loader 15 is further operable, when the operating system is compatible with the host system 11 to communicate on the high data rate communication interface 36 when available with the subscriber identity module 20 to exchange data associated with the operating system, said data allowing the execution or operation of the operating system.

Figure 3B describes an illustrative embodiment of the method according to the invention.

When switching on or resetting the mobile user equipment 10, a hardware reset is performed by the hardware itself and makes all hardware chips going to their default state. For example, CPU Input/Output port is set up to input mode (i.e. input-only mode) to avoid physical electronic conflicts, memory controller(s) controlling the at least one memory unit (as described further below in reference to Figure 4) of the mobile user equipment 10 is disabled to avoid using any Random Access Memory (RAM), SIM 20 closes its high data rate communication interface 36 to ensure physical level compatibility (i.e. as SIM 20 does not know which protocol will further be used on said high data rate communication interface) etc...

The high data rate communication interface 36 of SIM 20 is not available when switching on the mobile user equipment and when booting said mobile user equipment 10, in particular the host system 11 of the mobile user equipment 10 via the Boot Loader 15. Indeed, the standard SIM protocol involves communication systematically at first on the control communication interface. Therefore, the Boot Loader 15 communicates with SIM 20 on the control communication interface 33 in the method according to the invention.

After hardware reset, the UE CPU 17 of the host system 11 of the mobile user equipment 10 fetches or loads a piece of code from a specified (or fixed) address on the host system 11. That piece of code allows the host system to run Boot Loader 15 in act 300.

In order to run an operating system, the Boot Loader 15 initializes some hardware in act 305, wherein said hardware comprises for example the host system clock, memory controller(s), some peripherals Input/Output (IO) etc.... An act 310 of loading or collecting some context or control information on the UE, and in particular on said hardware, such as for example the screen size, the processor type, RAM size and so on... may be performed in order to initialize said hardware accordingly and/or check the requirements advised or needed to launch an OS using said hardware.

In act 315, the Boot Loader checks the SIM 20 availability (in other words, if the SIM 20 exists, is compatible to communicate with, is valid etc.).

If the SIM 2O is not available, the Boot Loader 15 may start in act 350 the operating system stored on or of the mobile user equipment 10 (UE OS) in order to further run or manage the mobile user equipment 10.

If the SIM 20 is available, the Boot Loader 15 collects control information on the SIM 20 in act 320 and in particular on the OS stored on the SIM 20 (SIM OS). Said control information may comprise the SIM OS location or address, if a high data rate communication interface 36 exists or not from/to SIM 20, the type of high data rate communication interface 36 supported by the SIM 20, protocol(s) supported by the SIM 20 on said high data rate communication interface 36, physical contact or pin assignments for the high data rate communication interface 36 etc... Control information exchange will be described in detail here under referring to Figure 3C. This control information comprises requirement information or requirements needed for running the SIM OS. Requirements may comprise the hardware architecture supported by the SIM OS, the hardware resources required by the SIM OS, mandatory hardware peripheral and device drivers required by the SIM OS etc...

The control information collected is analyzed by Boot Loader 15 in act 325 to further decide in act 330 if the SIM OS may be run on the host system 11 of the mobile user equipment 10. For example, this analysis may comprise checking if device drivers exist, is Random Access Memory is sufficient, etc...

If the SIM OS cannot be run on the host system 11 of the mobile user equipment 10, the Boot Loader 15 may start in act 350 the operating system stored on or of the mobile user equipment 10 (UE OS) in order to further run or manage the mobile user equipment 10.

If the SIM OS may be run on the host system 11 of the mobile user equipment 10, part(s) or whole of said SIM OS is/are loaded in act 335 from SIM 20 to the host system 11 of the mobile user equipment 10 in order to manage said mobile user equipment 10.

In an additional embodiment of the present invention, the SIM OS may not be loaded onto the host system 11 and manage the mobile user equipment 10. In other words, the SIM OS remains stored on the SIM 20 and is run remotely by the host system 11 to manage the mobile user equipment 10. In this case, only commands are exchanged between the SIM 20 and the mobile user equipment 10 on high data rate communication interface 36.

In optional act 340, some OS support information may be loaded on the high data rate communication interface from the mobile user equipment to update the SIM OS. For example, specific patches (for OS version update or corrections) or updates of drivers or applications may be provided by the mobile user equipment to update the SIM OS or allocate some resources to the SIM OS. For example, out of 100 Megabytes available, the host system 11 may allocate 20 Megabytes of Random Access Memory (RAM) to the OS and 80 Megabytes for applications.

Eventually, in act 345, the SIM OS is started and run in order to manage the host system 11 of the mobile user equipment 10.

In an additional embodiment of the present method according to the invention, an optional act may allow comparing the requirements of the SIM OS and of the UE OS to further decide which one may be run.

Figure 3C describes an illustrative embodiment of the method according to the invention, wherein the host system 11 and the SIM 20 exchange control information on the control communication interface 33 to further decide if high data rate communication interface 36 may be use to run the SIM OS to manage the mobile user equipment 10.

In act 3010, the host system 11 requests control information to the SIM 20. For example, the host system 11 may send a request asking for control information without any parameter or precision or detail, or send a request with precise parameters to be answered on by the SIM 20. In the latter case, the host system may send a request asking for example if the SIM 20 has a high data rate communication interface 36, if it is available, what type of communication interface it is etc...

In act 3020, the SIM 20 responds to the host system 11 with general or specific control information (e.g. address or location of the OS stored on the SIM 20...) or on the high data rate communication interface 36 as previously described. Host system 11 may also requests in act 3030 some information on the high data rate communication interface 36 itself such as for instance information on the Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface if the high data rate communication interface 36 has previously been identified as being a USB interface..

The SIM 20 responds in act 3040 with, for example, information such as the protocol supported by said e.g. USB interface such as e.g. USB 2.0 Full Speed / High Speed (FS/HS), USB Inter-Integrated Circuit (HC); contact assignment (e.g. PIN8 for Clock, PIN6 for data etc.).

In act 3050, the host system 11 may request the SIM 20 to activate the high data rate communication interface 36 using for example the USB 2.0 FS protocol.

In act 3060, the SIM 20 responds whether activation of act 3050 is possible or not.

If so, high data rate communication interface 36 is activated.

The host system 11 may then request the SIM 20 about the OS stored on said SIM 20. Host system 11 requests for example if a SIM OS exists on SIM 20 in act 3070. If it exists, SIM 20 responds to the host system 11 that a SIM OS exists on SIM 20 in act 3080.

In act 3090, the host system 11 may request general or specific information on the SIM OS.

In act 3100, the SIM 20 responds to the host system 11 with general or specific information on the SIM OS. Such information may be for example, information about the OS location, the hardware architecture supported by the SIM OS for running, the hardware resources required by the SIM OS for running, any mandatory hardware peripheral and/or device driver required by the SIM OS for running. On reception of information gathered from the SIM 20, the host system 11 analyzes said information in order to further decide whether the SIM OS may run to manage or for managing the mobile user equipment 10.

In act 3110, data may be requested by the host system 11 from SIM 20, wherein said date may either be SIM OS-related or any other SIM related data (e.g. user equipment subscription identification information, information on data stored in the SIM memory unit 22 etc .).

Act 4010 encompasses acts 3020 to 3060, wherein high data rate communication interface 36 is disabled.

High data rate communication interface 36 is enabled in act 4020.

Whole or parts of the SIM OS are requested by the host system 11 to SIM 20 in act 4030. Whole or parts (same or different) are provided in act 4040 by SIM 20 to host system 11 in order to be run and manage mobile user equipment 10.

More data may be required in act 4050 by the host system 1 1 of the mobile user equipment 10 or provided by SIM 20 to host system 1 1 of the mobile user equipment in order to further manage said mobile user equipment 10.

Figure 3D describes an illustrative embodiment of the method according to the invention. Figure 3 describes in detail the act 345 referring to Figure 3B, wherein the SIM OS is started in order to be run for managing the host system 1 1 of the mobile user equipment 10.

In act 360, the SIM OS is started and internally initialized in act 365 (i.e. the SIM OS parameters and configuration are set up).

In act 370, the Support information loaded from the mobile user equipment 10 in act 340 referring to Figure 3B are collected and analyzed to determine whether the SIM OS, associated drivers or applications require any update or which resources from the host system 11 the SIM OS is allowed to used as previously explained.

In act 375, drivers and applications may be initialized or set up. Then, in act 380, a boot script is run in order to launch the SIM OS which is running in act 385.

Figure 4 describes an illustrative embodiment of the system according to the invention, wherein the operating system stored on SIM 20 comprises an OS Kernel 410 and applications 430.

The OS Kernel 410 may comprise:

- a process or thread management unit 412 for managing the different processes or threads related to software applications or drivers units,

- a memory management unit 414 for managing one or a plurality of memory zones or memories such as for example Electrically-Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EEPROM), Not Or (NOR) Flash memory, Not And (NAND) Flash memory etc.,

- a process or thread communication unit 416 providing communication mechanisms between processes and thread of the different applications and device drivers managed by the OS,

- etc...

In the system according to the invention, the OS Kernel is provided or stored on SIM 20 by the telecommunication operator providing said SIM 20.

Examples of applications 430 may be:

- basic User Interface (UI) 432 for the user to interact with the mobile user equipment 10,

- communication software 434 for communicating from and to the mobile user equipment 10,

- office, game softwares... Some of the applications may be provided or stored on SIM 20 by the telecommunication operator providing said SIM 20 (some of them may also be provided by the vendor of the mobile user equipment 10 or further installed on the mobile user equipment 10 by the user himself). The provision of applications on the SIM 20 allows in particular providing the user with telecommunication operator-customized applications. For example, customized TV on mobile applications may provided by the telecommunication operator to further allow the user of SIM 20 to get the access granted to the corresponding TV on mobile services. As such applications are stored on the SIM 20, the user or mobile user equipment identification information stored on SIM 20, such as for instance the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI), may be used for example by or for said applications to run specifically on the mobile user equipment 10 equipped with said SIM 20.

Device drivers 420 such as e.g., Graphical Unit (GPU) drivers 424 for the mobile user equipment screen, input/output port drivers 422 or communication module drivers 426, may be stored on SIM 20 even though they are likely to be stored on the mobile user equipment 10 as they relates directly to said mobile user equipment 10 and are thus often provided by the vendor of the mobile user equipment 10.

Figure 5 describes an illustrative embodiment of the system according to the invention, wherein different functions are performed in different memory units.

In a mobile user equipment, mass storage memory, like Not And (NAND) Flash memory cannot support programs directly running on it. So an operating system should be copied out to the Random Access Memory of the Host System for running. Due to low level function and low level access function, operating system kernel and device drivers must be fixed in RAM. If any of them are not in a CPU direct access area, the operating system cannot run. Applications may be accessed by driver(s) when needed, so it is not mandatory to reside in RAM.

Boot Loader 15 on mobile user equipment 10 is a piece of software that allows launching an operating system. Boot loader 15 may be saved in UE CPU in ROM/Flash or NOR flash which CPU can directly access it or saved in Flash Memory 520 (e.g. NAND Flash or NOR Flash) which will be loaded into RAM at boot time then run. Boot loader may be used to initialize clock, IO ports and peripherals.

For example, application and user data 522 along with SIM OS Kernel 410 may be stored on a Flash Memory 22 of SIM 20. OS related information may be stored on EEPROM or Flash Memory 516 of SIM 20. Some applications and user data 522, drivers 420, UE OS Kernel 525, OS support information 527, OS information 529 may also be stored on the memory, like e.g. Flash Memory, of the mobile user equipment 10.

Claims

1. A method for configuring a host system of a mobile user equipment, said mobile user equipment being connected to a subscriber identity module, said subscriber identity module comprising at least one communication interface and allowing the storage of an operating system, said method comprising, for the host system of the mobile user equipment, the acts of:

2. A method according to claim 1, said method further comprising, when the operating system is not compatible with the host system, the act of executing an operating system stored on the mobile user equipment.

3. A method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the acts of communicating with the subscriber identity module are performed by a boot loader when the mobile user equipment is switched on or reset.

4. A method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the operating system allowing managing the mobile user equipment is loaded from the subscriber identity module and run onto the host system of the mobile user equipment.

5. A method according to any of the preceding claims 1 to 3, wherein the operating system allowing managing the mobile user equipment is run on the subscriber identity module.

6. A system for configuring a host system of a mobile user equipment, said system comprising:

- a Subscriber Identity Module comprising a memory unit, said memory unit allowing storing an operating system,

- a mobile user equipment, said mobile user equipment comprising the host system and being connected to the subscriber identity module, said host system being operable to:

- communicate on a first communication interface with the subscriber identity module to exchange control information,

- determine, using the control information, if the operating system is compatible with the host system of the mobile user equipment and a second communication interface is available on the memory module, the host system being further operable, when the operating system is compatible with the host system to communicate on the second communication interface when available with the subscriber identity module to exchange data associated with the operating system, said data allowing the execution of the operating system.

7. A system according to claim 6, wherein the host system is further operable, when the operating system is not compatible with the host system, to execute an operating system stored on the mobile user equipment.

8. A system according to any of the preceding claims 6 and 7, wherein the host system is further operable to communicate with the subscriber identity module using a boot loader when the mobile user equipment is switched on or reset.

9. A system according to any of the preceding claims 6 to 8, wherein the operating system allowing managing the mobile user equipment is loaded from the subscriber identity module onto the host system and wherein the host system is further operable to operate said operating system.

10. A system according to any of the preceding claims 6 to 8, wherein the operating system allowing managing the mobile user equipment is operated on the subscriber identity module.

11. A mobile user equipment, said mobile user equipment being connected to a subscriber identity module, said subscriber identity module allowing the storage of an operating system, the mobile user equipment comprising a host system being operable to:

12. A mobile user equipment according to claim 11, wherein the host system is further operable, when the operating system is not compatible with the host system, to execute an operating system stored on the mobile user equipment.

13. A mobile user equipment according to any of the preceding claims 11 and

12, wherein the host system is further operable to communicate with the subscriber identity module using a boot loader when the mobile user equipment is switched on or reset.

14. A mobile user equipment according to any of the preceding claims 11 to

13, wherein the operating system allowing managing the mobile user equipment is loaded from the subscriber identity module onto the host system and wherein the host system is further operable to operate said operating system.

15. A mobile user equipment according to any of the preceding claims 11 to 13, wherein the operating system allowing managing the mobile user equipment is operated on the subscriber identity module.

16. A subscriber identity module, said subscriber identity module being connected to a mobile user equipment, the subscriber identity module allowing the storage of an operating system, the subscriber identity module comprising at least one communication interface, the subscriber identity module being operable to:

- communicate on a first communication interface with the host system of a mobile user equipment to exchange control information, wherein the subscriber identity module is further operable, when the operating system is compatible with the host system, to communicate on the second communication interface with the host system to exchange data associated with the operating system, said data allowing the execution of the operating system.

17. A computer program providing computer executable instructions stored on a computer readable medium, which when loaded on to a data processor causes the data processor to perform a method for configuring a host system of a mobile user equipment according to claims 1 to 5.