BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field Of Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention relates to a mobile network; and more particularly relates to a mobile network that provides developer friendly web service.  
           [0003]    2. Description of Related Art  
           [0004]    A mobile network, including a mobile terminal, has lots of information about its subscribers. Some of this information is static (e.g. name, sex, age) and some of this information is dynamic (e.g. location, availability). This information is very valuable and necessary for producing personal and attractive value added services.  
           [0005]    Typically, an applications node in a mobile network has access to end user information by application specific mechanisms. Each application node has to maintain its own database and acquire information about end users in its own way. Information about an end user&#39;s mobile terminal may include its terminal capabilities, screen size, colors, number of keys, etc.  
           [0006]    However, one problem in the prior art network is that the software applications node cannot access user specific data (user profile) in a generic way that is stored in the mobile network (including the mobile terminal).  
           [0007]    Another problem in the prior art network is that the privacy of the end user (user profile) is not protected in a general manner and a mobile terminal has no effective control over the privacy parameters in the mobile network.  
           [0008]    Another problem in the prior art network is that the provision of end user information to the software applications node is not exposed in the overall mobile network in a manner that is familiar in the IT domain.  
           [0009]    Another problem in the prior art network is that the end user information is fragmented to several nodes in the network (including the terminal).  
           [0010]    Other problems include: (1) the inability to get user data when the mobile terminal is unreachable, for instance off or out of coverage; (2) the need to prevent an end user from paying for data transmission; and (3) the need to prevent exposing a network address (such as MSISDN) or IP address of the mobile terminal.  
         SUMMARY OF INVENTION  
         [0011]    In its broadest sense, the present invention provides a new and unique method and apparatus for sharing information about an end user of a mobile terminal with an applications node in a mobile network, in which a virtual terminal arranged between the mobile terminal to the applications node provides information about the end user of the mobile terminal to the applications node.  
           [0012]    In the present information, the mobile terminal may primarily store the end user information and has a mobile terminal user interface for managing the provision of the end user information. The mobile terminal may also store end user rules or preferences controlling how different types of the end user information can be used and to whom the end user information can be given in the wireless network. The end user of the mobile terminal can also require manual confirmation so that the end user will be prompted each time certain end user information is requested by the applications node. The mobile terminal user interface manages these end user rules and preferences.  
           [0013]    Compliance with the end user rules and preferences regarding individual types of end user information may be optionally enforced using encryption or digital rights management (DRM) protocols.  
           [0014]    Some types of end user information such as the location of the mobile terminal may originate in the network and be obtained with end user permission from the network, for instance, using a synchronization protocol such as SynchML.  
           [0015]    A copy of the end user information, rules and preferences may also be stored in the virtual terminal which is located in a trusted server in the network. The data transfer between the mobile terminal and the virtual terminal is made using a management protocol handling commands, operations and data. A subset of this interface may include a synchronization protocol. Another subset of the interface may be handled using remote procedure calls.  
           [0016]    The end user rules and preferences are taken into account in the synchronization process between the mobile terminal and the virtual terminal. Depending on the end user so-called “paranoia level”, the end user may determine that nothing is copied to the virtual terminal, so that all end user information is only stored in the mobile terminal and no end user information is given to the applications node without manual end user intervention.  
           [0017]    The end user rules and preferences are also taken into account when passing the end user information to the applications node. This may also be accomplished using known cryptography and digital rights management (DRM) protocols to ensure privacy.  
           [0018]    The virtual terminal may have a direct user interface, and may also provide user interface services in addition to services by WEB services interfaces. The virtual terminal may also act as a “service termination point” on behalf of the mobile terminal. That is purchase operations may be performed autonomously by the virtual terminal entity. A web service interface, including protocols such as Extensible Markup Language (XML), Web Services Description Language (WDSL), Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP), Universal Description, Discovery and Integration (UDDI) and Hypertext Transfer Protocol; Hypertext Transport Protocol (HTTP), may also be used between the virtual terminal and the applications node.  
           [0019]    The applications node is typically a software applications node and may exist outside the mobile network (e.g. in the WEB domain).  
           [0020]    The present invention may preferably be implemented in the terminal and server products (brokers related to privacy, terminal management, presence, user profiles). In particular, the invention may be implemented in the mobile network (including terminals) as well as the “consumption part” of it can be implemented in typical IT middleware software such as application servers.  
           [0021]    The present invention solves the problem of how the software applications node can access user specific data (user profile) without talking directly with the mobile terminal while protecting end user privacy.  
           [0022]    Second, the invention solves the overall problem of how to provide the end user information from the mobile terminal to the applications node in a manner that protects end user privacy and provides level of control to the mobile terminal in the wireless network.  
           [0023]    Third, the invention solves the problem of how the end user information can be seamlessly exposed to the software applications node in a manner that is familiar in the IT domain.  
           [0024]    Fourth, the invention solves the problem of fragmented end user information by providing a centralized point for the applications node to access such information.  
           [0025]    Features of the present invention may also be used to solves other problems such as (1) how to provide access to user data when the mobile terminal is off or out of coverage; (2) how to prevent the end user from paying for data transmission; and (3) how to prevent exposing the network address (such as MSISDN) of the mobile terminal.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING  
       [0026]    The drawing, not drawn to scale, includes the following Figures:  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 1 is a diagram of a wireless network having a virtual terminal interface between a mobile terminal and an applications node that forms the subject matter of the present invention.  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the mobile terminal shown in FIG. 1.  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 3 is a diagram of the virtual terminal shown in FIG. 1.  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 4 is a diagram of the applications node shown in FIG. 1. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION  
     FIG.  1 : The Basic Invention  
       [0031]    [0031]FIG. 1 shows a mobile network generally indicated as  10  having a mobile terminal  12 , a network infrastructure  14 , a virtual terminal node  16  and an applications node  18 . The virtual terminal node  16  is shown in the form of a virtual terminal server  16 . According to the present invention, the virtual terminal server  16  is arranged between the mobile terminal  12  to the applications node  18  and provides information about the end user of the mobile terminal  12  to the applications node  18 .  
         [0032]    In general, the applications node  18  will provide an applications node end user information request signal to the virtual terminal server  16  requesting end user information about the end user of the mobile terminal  12 .  
         [0033]    If the requested end user information is stored in the virtual terminal server  16  and accessible to the applications node  18  in relation to any end user rules and preferences controlling its distribution, then the virtual terminal server  16  may respond to this signal and provide a virtual terminal server signal containing the end user information to the applications node  18 .  
         [0034]    If the requested end user information is not stored in the virtual terminal server  16  or the end user preferences indicate that this information cannot be given without user intervention, then the virtual terminal server  16  may responds to this signal and provide a virtual terminal server end user information request signal to the mobile terminal  12  requesting the information. The mobile terminal  12  may respond to this signal and provide a mobile terminal signal containing the end user information (or a permission that it can be given to the applications node  18 ) back to the virtual terminal server  16 . The virtual terminal server  16  may respond to this signal and provides the virtual terminal server signal containing the end user information to the applications node  18 .  
         [0035]    When the applications node  18  receives the virtual terminal server signal containing the end user information, it processes the information in a manner described below.  
         [0036]    In FIG. 1, the virtual terminal server  16  is shown contained within the network infrastructure  14 . The network infrastructure  14 , other than the virtual terminal server  16 , is known in the art, and the scope of the invention is not intended to be limited to any particular type or kind thereof. Many different networks and network infrastructures are envisioned that may contain the fundamental features of the virtual terminal server interface that is the subject matter of the present invention, including but not limited to mobile networks that are wireless or not.  
       FIG.  2 : The Mobile Terminal  12   
       [0037]    [0037]FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of the mobile terminal  12  shown in FIG. 1, and includes a signal processor  12   a  connected to a radio access network module  12   b  (connected to an antenna  12   c ), a display module  12   d,  an audio module  12   e,  a microphone  12   f,  a read only memory  12   g  (ROM or EPROM), a keyboard module  12   h  and a random access memory  12   i  (RAM). The signal processor  12   a  controls the operation of wireless terminal  12 , the operation of which is known in the art. Moreover, the scope of the invention is not intended to be limited to any particular kind or type of the aforementioned elements  12   a,    12   b,  . . . ,  12   i.  For example, the scope of the invention is intended to include the radio access network module  12   b  being either an antenna module, a radio frequency (RF) module, a radio modem or the like. The wireless terminal  12  may also include many other circuit elements known in the art, which are not shown or described.  
       The Mobile Terminal User Interface Module  12   j    
       [0038]    The wireless terminal  12  features a mobile terminal user interface module  12   j  for providing interface functions of the mobile terminal  12  in relation to the virtual terminal server  16  (FIG. 1), including managing the storage of the end user information in the mobile terminal  12 ; managing the storage and implementation of end user rules and preferences that govern the transfer of the end user information to the virtual terminal  16  (FIG. 1); managing the manual confirmation by, and prompting of, the end user in relation to the transfer of certain end user information requested by the virtual terminal  16 ; managing the use of encryption, digital rights management and synchronization of protocols governing the transfer of the end user information between the mobile terminal  12  and the virtual terminal  16 ; as well as controlling the transfer of the end user information between the mobile terminal  12  and the virtual terminal  16 .  
         [0039]    The mobile terminal user interface module  12   j  may be implemented using hardware, software, or a combination thereof. In a typical software implementation, the mobile terminal user interface module  12   j  would be a microprocessor-based architecture having a microprocessor, a random access memory (RAM), a read only memory (ROM), input/output devices and control, data and address buses connecting the same. A person skilled in the art of programming, especially programming of wireless terminals, would be able to program such a microprocessor-based implementation to perform the functionality described herein without undue experimentation.  
         [0040]    The scope of the invention is not intended to be limited to any specific kind of mobile terminal or device, and many different mobile terminals or device are envisioned that may contain the fundamental features of the present invention described herein.  
       FIG.  3 : The Virtual Terminal Server  16   
       [0041]    [0041]FIG. 3 shows a block diagram of the virtual terminal server  16  shown in FIG. 1, and includes a virtual terminal server controller module  16   a  connected to a virtual/mobile-terminal interface module  16   b  and a virtual/applications node interface module  16   c.  The virtual terminal server  16  is described herein as being implemented using a trusted server in the network infrastructure  14  (FIG. 1); however, the scope of the invention is not intended to be limited to only the same. Embodiments are envisioned in which the virtual terminal server is implemented as simply a virtual terminal using another type of architecture that is not necessarily server-based as that term is presently known in the art.  
       The Virtual Terminal Server Controller Module  16   a    
       [0042]    The virtual terminal server controller module  16   a  performs control functions that may include, but are not limited to, controlling the overall operation of the virtual terminal server  16 , including controlling the interface function s between the virtual/mobile-terminal interface module  16   b  and the mobile terminal user interface module  12   j  (FIG. 2) of the mobile terminal  12  (FIG. 1), the management and storage of the end user information, rules and preferences of the end user information received from the mobile terminal  12 , the management and storage of network originating information about the mobile terminal received from the network infrastructure  14 , as well as the interface functions between the virtual/applications node interface module  16   c  and an applications-node/virtual-terminal-server interface module  18   b  shown in FIG. 4 of the applications node  18  (FIG. 1).  
       The Virtual/Mobile-Terminal Interface Module  16   b    
       [0043]    The virtual/mobile-terminal interface module  16   b  performs interface functions that may include, but are not limited to, controlling the request for the end user information from the mobile terminal  12  (FIG. 1), the use of encryption, digital rights management and synchronization protocols during the transfer of the end user information from the mobile terminal  12 , as well as controlling the receipt and provisioning of the end user information received from the mobile terminal  12 .  
       The Virtual/Applications Node Interface Module  16   c    
       [0044]    The virtual/applications node interface module  16   c  performs interface functions that may include, but are not limited to, managing the request of end user information from the applications node  18  (FIG. 1), the use of encryption, digital rights management and synchronization protocols during the transfer of the end user information to the applications node  18 , as well as the transfer of the end user information to the applications node  18 , including using a web service based protocol.  
       FIG.  4 : The Applications Node  18   
       [0045]    [0045]FIG. 4 shows a block diagram of the applications node  18  shown in FIG. 1, and includes an applications node controller module  18   a  connected to an applications node/virtual-terminal-server interface module  18   b  and an applications node end user information signal processor  18   c.    
       The Applications Node Controller Module  18   a    
       [0046]    The applications node controller module  18   a  performs control function to operate the applications node  18  including, but not limited to, coordinating the operation of the applications-node/virtual-terminal-server interface module  18   b  and the applications node end user information signal processor  18   c.    
       The Applications-Node/Virtual-Terminal-Server Interface Module  18   b    
       [0047]    The applications-node/virtual-terminal-server interface module  18   b  performs the interface functions in relation to the virtual/applications-node interface module  16   c  (FIG. 3) of the virtual terminal server  16 , that may include, but are not limited to, managing making the request for end user information from the virtual terminal server  16  (FIG. 1), managing the use of encryption, digital rights management and synchronization protocols during the transfer of the end user information from the virtual terminal  16  to the applications node  18 , managing the receipt and storage of the end user information received from the virtual terminal server  16 , controlling the transfer of the end user information from the virtual terminal  16 , including using a web service based protocol, as well as the provisioning of the end user information received from the virtual terminal server  16  for processing by the applications node end user information signal processor  18   c,  or one or more other modules (not shown) in the applications node  18 .  
       The Applications Node End User Information Signal Processor  18   c    
       [0048]    The applications node end user information signal processor  18   c  processes the end user information in the applications node  18 . The applications node  18  is described herein as a software applications node, although the scope of the invention is not intended to be limited to any particular type or kind thereof, or the manner in which any particular type or kind thereof uses or processes the end user information by the applications node end user information signal processor  18   c.    
       Implementation of Modules  16   a,    16   b,    16   c,    18   a,    18   b,    18   c    
       [0049]    The virtual terminal server controller module  16   a,  the virtual/mobile-terminal interface module  16   b,  the virtual/applications node interface module  16   c,  the applications node controller module  18   a,  the applications-node/virtual-terminal-server interface module  18   b  and the applications node end user information signal processor  18   c  may be implemented using hardware, software, or a combination thereof. In a typical software implementation, these modules  16   a,    16   b,    16   c,    18   a,    18   b,    18   c  would be a microprocessor-based architecture having a microprocessor, a random access memory (RAM), a read only memory (ROM), input/output devices and control, data and address buses connecting the same. A person skilled in the art of programming would be able to program such a microprocessor-based implementation to perform the functionality discussed herein without undue experimentation. The scope of the invention is not intended to be limited to the manner of implementation of these modules  16   a,    16   b,    16   c,    18   a,    18   b,    18   c.    
       Scope of the Invention  
       [0050]    Accordingly, the invention comprises the features of construction, combination of elements, and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth.  
         [0051]    It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, and those made apparent from the preceding description, are efficiently attained and, since certain changes may be made in the above construction without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.
A method and apparatus are provided for sharing information about an end user of a mobile terminal with an applications node in a wireless network, in which a virtual terminal arranged between the mobile terminal to the applications node provides end user information about the end user of the mobile terminal to the applications node from a centralized point. The mobile terminal stores end user information and has a mobile terminal user interface for managing the provision of the end user information. The mobile terminal also stores end user rules or preferences controlling how different types of the end user information can be used and to whom the end user information can be given in the wireless network. The end user of the mobile terminal also requires manual confirmation so that the end user will be prompted each time certain end user information is requested by the applications node. The mobile terminal user interface manages these end user rules and preferences.