System and method for automatically creating and updating a mobile station configuration database in a wireless network

A wireless network comprising:

• a plurality of base stations, each of said base stations capable of communicating with a plurality of mobile stations;
• and
• an apparatus for automatically gathering configuration data associated with said plurality of mobile stations comprising:
• a database capable of storing a plurality of mobile station configuration records, wherein each of said mobile station configuration records stores configuration data gathered from a selected one of said plurality of mobile stations;
• and
• an update controller capable of transmitting to a first one of said plurality of mobile stations a mobile station configuration request message and further capable of receiving from said first mobile station first configuration data transmitted by said first mobile station in response to receipt of said mobile station configuration request message, wherein said update controller stores said first configuration data in a first one of said mobile station configuration records, and wherein said update controller is capable of retrieving an upgrade data file comprising second configuration data from a manufacturer of said first mobile station via an Internet protocol (IP) communication network coupled to said wireless network.

For use in a wireless network comprising a plurality of base stations, each of the base stations capable of communicating with a plurality of mobile stations, a method for automatically gathering configuration data associated with the plurality of mobile stations comprising the steps of:

• creating in a database a plurality of mobile station configuration records, wherein each of the mobile station configuration records stores configuration data gathered from a selected one of the plurality of mobile stations;
• transmitting to a first one of the plurality of mobile stations a mobile station configuration request message;
• receiving from the first mobile station first configuration data transmitted by the first mobile station in response to receipt of the mobile station configuration request message, wherein the update controller stores the first configuration data in a first one of the mobile station configuration records;
• and
• retrieving an upgrade data file comprising second configuration data from a manufacturer of the first mobile station via an Internet protocol (IP) communication network coupled to the wireless network.