Communication Between Mobile Terminals and Service Providers

In a mobile communication system comprising mobile terminals using service applications provided by corresponding service providers, the mobile communication system further comprising an intermediate service provider in communication with the mobile terminals and the service providers, a method for a mobile terminal of the mobile terminals to communicate with the service providers, the method comprising:

• sending, to an intermediate service provider, a session request message;
• receiving, from the intermediate service provider, a session response message comprising a session identification corresponding to a persistent session established between the mobile terminal and the intermediate service provider;
• and
• sending, to the intermediate service provider, multiplexed data communications for at least two different service applications of the service applications via a logical communication channel between the intermediate service provider and the mobile terminal based on the session identification.

In a mobile communication system comprising mobile terminals using service applications provided by corresponding service providers, the mobile communication system further comprising an intermediate service provider in communication with the mobile terminals and the service providers, a method for an intermediate service provider to communicate with a mobile terminal of the mobile terminals, the method comprising:

• receiving, from the mobile terminal, a session request message;
• sending, to the mobile terminal, a session response message comprising a session identification corresponding to a persistent session established between the mobile terminal and the intermediate service provider;
• and
• receiving, from the mobile terminal, multiplexed data communications for at least two different service applications of the service applications via a logical communication channel between the intermediate service provider and the mobile terminal based on the session identification.

In a mobile communication system comprising mobile terminals using service applications provided by corresponding service providers, the mobile communication system further comprising an intermediate service provider in communication with the mobile terminals and the service providers, a method for a mobile terminal of the mobile terminals to communicate with a selected service application of the service applications, the method comprising:

• generating communication data for the selected service application;
• converting the communication data into command portions, the command portions comprising a first command portion and at least a second command portion, the first command portion embodying functionality of the communication data common to a set of the service applications and the second command portion embodying functionality of the communication data specific to a subset of the set of service applications, both the set and subset including the selected service application;
• and
• transmitting the command portions to the intermediate service provider.

In a mobile communication system comprising mobile terminals using service applications provided by corresponding service providers, the mobile communication system further comprising an intermediate service provider in communication with the mobile terminals and the service providers, a method in the intermediate service provider for establishing communications between a mobile terminal of the mobile terminals and a selected service provider of the service providers, the method comprising:

• receiving, from the mobile terminal, command portions comprising a first command portion and at least a second command portion, the first command portion embodying functionality of communication data for a selected service application common to a set of the service applications and the second command portion embodying functionality of the communication data specific to a subset of the set of service applications, both the set and subset including the selected service application;
• transforming the command portions into proprietary commands;
• and
• transmitting the proprietary commands to the selected service provider.

A mobile terminal for use in a mobile communication system and capable of using service applications provided by corresponding service providers, the mobile communication system further comprising an intermediate service provider in communication with the mobile terminal and the service providers, the mobile terminal comprising:

• means for sending, to an intermediate service provider, a session request message;
• means receiving, from the intermediate service provider, a session response message comprising a session identification corresponding to a persistent session established between the mobile terminal and the intermediate service provider;
• and
• means for sending, to the intermediate service provider, multiplexed data communications for at least two different service applications of the service applications via a logical communication channel between the intermediate service provider and the mobile terminal based on the session identification.

An intermediate service provider for use in a mobile communication system comprising mobile terminals using service applications provided by corresponding service providers, the intermediate service provider in communication with the mobile terminals and the service providers, and further comprising:

• means for receiving, from the mobile terminal, a session request message;
• means for sending, to the mobile terminal, a session response message comprising a session identification corresponding to a persistent session established between the mobile terminal and the intermediate service provider;
• and
• means for receiving, from the mobile terminal, multiplexed data communications for at least two different service applications of the service applications via a logical communication channel between the intermediate service provider and the mobile terminal based on the session identification.

A mobile terminal for use in a mobile communication system and capable of using service applications provided by corresponding service providers, the mobile communication system further comprising an intermediate service provider in communication with the mobile terminal and the service providers, the mobile terminal comprising:

• means for generating communication data for a selected service application of the service applications;
• means for converting the communication data into command portions, the command portions comprising a first command portion and at least a second command portion, the first command portion embodying functionality of the communication data common to a set of the service applications and the second command portion embodying functionality of the communication data specific to a subset of the set of service applications, both the set and subset including the selected service application;
• and
• means for transmitting the command portions to the intermediate service provider.

An intermediate service provider for use in a mobile communication system comprising mobile terminals using service applications provided by corresponding service providers, the intermediate service provider in communication with the mobile terminals and the service providers, and further comprising:

• means for receiving, from a mobile terminal of the mobile terminals, command portions comprising a first command portion and at least a second command portion, the first command portion embodying functionality of communication data for a selected service application common to a set of the service applications and the second command portion embodying functionality of the communication data specific to a subset of the set of service applications, both the set and subset including the selected service application;
• means for transforming the command portions into proprietary commands;
• and
• means for transmitting the proprietary commands to the selected service provider.