System and method for performing diagnostics on a mobile station using over-the-air transfer of interpreted byte-code program

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 of testing the operation of a first one of the plurality of mobile stations comprising the steps of:

• storing in a database a mobile station diagnostic testing file comprising a mobile station diagnostic testing program in interpreted byte-code format;
• receiving a notification indicating that a fault has occurred in the first mobile station and further capable;
• in response to receipt of the notification, retrieving the mobile station diagnostic testing file from the database;
• transmitting the mobile station diagnostic testing file to the first mobile station;
• and
• in response to receipt of the mobile station diagnostic testing file in the mobile station, executing in the mobile station the mobile station diagnostic testing program in the mobile station diagnostic testing file.

For use in a mobile station capable of communicating with a wireless network, a method of performing an over-the-air diagnostic testing of the mobile station from the wireless network comprising the steps of:

• receiving and demodulating forward channel messages from the wireless network;
• extracting from the demodulated forward channel messages a mobile station diagnostic testing file containing a mobile station diagnostic testing program in interpreted byte-code format;
• interpreting and executing the mobile station diagnostic testing program;
• transmitting to the wireless network a reverse channel notification message notifying the wireless network that a fault has been detected in the mobile station;
• and
• in response to receipt of the reverse channel notification message transmitting the mobile station diagnostic testing file to the mobile station from the wireless network.