WO2016093730A1

WO2016093730A1 - Method of expanding of the personal communication device software and personal communication device for its implementation

Info

Publication number: WO2016093730A1
Application number: PCT/RU2014/001006
Authority: WO
Inventors: Vladimir Aleksandrovich ELIN; Aleksandr Alekseevich KIBKALO; Vitaly Sergeevich LYAPER; Aleksei Alekseevich KIBKALO
Original assignee: OTKRYTOE AKTSIONERNOE OBSCHESTVO "INTERSOFT EVRAZIYA"
Current assignee: OTKRYTOE AKTSIONERNOE OBSCHESTVO "INTERSOFT EVRAZIYA"
Priority date: 2014-12-10
Filing date: 2014-12-29
Publication date: 2016-06-16
Anticipated expiration: 2017-06-10

Abstract

Communication Device 1 (cell phone, smartphone, tablet computer, etc.) comprises a housing which houses transceiver and processor 2 electrically interconnected, the processor is connected to a monitor, keyboard, memory block, power supply and means of sound signaling. Processor 2 is a multi-core processor to provide the operating frequency of the last 2.5 to 3.5 GHz with the basic operating system 7 and the formation of groups of virtual machines and creating based on them of a set of guest operating systems 6, 8, 9 with the possibility of the selection by the user of an operating system from 6, 8, 9 to control the Communication Device 1 by activating the appropriate virtual machine. The processor 2 is at least a 8-core processor and may be executed with 8 to 16 cores. Device 1 consists of modular components with the possibility of replacing individual components independently. Preferably the components of the group are modular to fit onto the motherboard: screen, processor, battery, memory, camera, Wi-Fi blocks, Bluetooth. UPRA module 13 is connected to the Processor 2 via the data bus. The Module 13 UPRA is executed with the software that verifies the electronic signature of a component of operating systems at the time of their loading to avoid tampering of the CD software. The invention ensures on a single personal device the universal access to the user interface possibilities of personal communication devices developed by all leading manufacturers of smartphones. This allows to extend the functionality of modern personal communication devices, smartphones and to overcome the limitations imposed by the manufacturers on the specific models of their smartphones.

Description

Method of expanding of the personal communication device software and personal communication device for its implementation

Field of the Invention

The given invention group relates to the personal communication devices (CD), providing the use of new applications and additional software in a mobile communication device. The device is a communication device with basic abilities of the main (basic) operating system which specifications can be modified by the user without physical intervention into the structure of the device through the activation of guest operating systems.

Prior Art

At present, almost universally accepted opinion is that the future communications will be the versatile, multi-purpose computer devices which are called smartphones. The development of mass production technologies led to the fact that on the one hand, high technology became available; on the other hand, the accumulation of the user experiences led to an increase in product requirements and despite the continuous improvement of the performance reduced the level of customer satisfaction. The smartphone owners are increasingly paying attention to the shortcomings of the devices: cheap plastic, instability in operation of the system, mismatching the user experience to that stated during promotional campaigns, short lifetime of the devices, and most importantly, frequent updating of model series of the manufacturers. As a result, people feel cheated.

There is a communication device which have means of the adaptation of mobile phone to the new functions (applications) that allows, when addressed by the user, accessing a menu of additional applications by installing in the phone an additional integral circuit on a substrate with a contact interface connected to the phone and the subsequent adaptation of additional integrated circuit in the phone by downloading and installing additional software (US 6775725).

A disadvantage of the known device is that it imposes restrictions on the use of additional integral circuit assuming the use of only the SIM cards adapted to exchange information with an additional integral circuit. A mobile communication device (Communicator) is known in which the mobile phones with SIM cards are provided with an additional integral circuit on a substrate with contact interface connected to the phone characterized by the fact that it further includes a server configured to prepare and send to the phone messages with additional software, to load it into an extra integral circuit; a SIM card is connected to the phone via an additional integral circuit executed to download and install additional software contained in the message received from the server to the phone. The server is configured to receive a request message from a mobile phone and send a message with additional software to the phone, sending request, and an additional integral circuit is performed to prepare a message to send it by the phone to the server. As a result this communicators and smartphones can flexibly modify the settings of its hardware (RU 2413378).

The disadvantages of the known devices are the complexity of their design suitable for request, transmission on wireless communication networks and downloading re-activated program product (Software, SW) in general which simultaneously reduces reliability due to possible interference at remote transmission and interface with existing communicator software and also requires storage of all program products on the server and allows unauthorized interception and distribution of transmitted program products (which are subject to the protected copyright) by third parties. To avoid most of these problems the delivery of the device to the service center to reload the software is needed which is not always realistic.

The companies manufacturing the communication devices (hereinafter - CDs) are interested to replace the older devices as often as possible with new ones. To do this the ranges of devices are drastically updated every few months and these updates are accompanied by large-scale promotional campaigns. As a result, the quality of products is impaired and the devices entering the market as a flaw design. It is not uncommon when a year later some of the components in an expensive model cease to function: parts of the housing break off, touch-sensitive keys or individual blocks do not function, sound quality is deteriorating etc. Due to market realities the manufacturers are not interested in creating smartphones with long life. Moreover, the quality of the devices has long been little to do with the brand or class of device. The most popular and expensive CDs are almost of the same components as the entry models. Both in expensive fashion devices and cheap operator smartphones may be installed the same processors, screens, batteries, cameras, etc.

Some manufacturers have already announced a new criterion to be met by high- tech devices of the future. According to them, smartphones became extremely personal devices such as custom tailored suit in the studio. As a result, several projects have been launched creating modular smartphone, including the development of Google, ProjectAra, presented on the Internet:

[http://www.proiectara.eom/l and also the device of Chinese companies ZTE presented on the Internet: http://wwwen.zte.com.cn/endata/magazine/mobileworld/2013/5/articles/20131 Q/t201 31029 411072.html] and Xiaomi rhttp://xiacorn.ru/31 -modulnvy-smartfon-ot- xiaomi.htmll.

The manufacturers suggested to produce smartphones consisting of separate easily replaceable modules, that is choosing the way of mechanical replacement phone blocks. The possibility of replacing the phone modules allows personalizing the device for a specific user, but imposes additional requirements for its design in terms of reliability of connections, vibration and shock resistance, and others.

Such an approach is possible with regard to the software (hereinafter - SW) smartphone. A possible design of modular smartphone (SmartPhoneFuture - SPF) is presented in the patent RU Jfei 18140 dated 10/02/2012. This CD should include high-quality components with programmed activation of their capabilities. For example, in the basic mode the battery capacity of 1500 mA/h will be available, but at additional charge the capacity of 4000 mA h or the inductive recharging can be activated.

The disadvantage of known devices is the limited functionality due to work under the only single basic operating system.

The closest to the invention is a communicator (a communication device UmnoPhone) containing the motherboard with power supply and integrated data bus which is connected to the processor configured to remote activation segments of the pre-installed software for selectively modification the hardware characteristics of the device, memory card, display, at least one wireless communication unit and an identification module of cellular phone user software activation controller configured to receive and execute commands of the remote activation server. The communicator is designed as a smartphone or a mobile phone, or a tablet computer (RU No.145513, prototype).

This architecture of the communicator will significantly increase the opportunities and meet the needs of a wide range of users. However, its disadvantage is the practical accessibility to tampering and the high probability of activation of illegal software and additional features. Furthermore, such contemporary CD operates at the frequency of 1 to 1.5 GHz. Its 2 or 4-core processor power is sufficient for the typical smartphone operations, but it is not enough to run multiple operating systems (OS). Therefore, there is no opportunity of available software and implementation of the stated method.

Summary of the Inventions

An engineering object of the invention group is a development of a more effective personal communication device and extension the range of personal communication devices.

The technical result of the use of the stated group of inventions linked by a single inventive concept is to provide on one personal device the universal access to the user interface of personal communication devices, developed by all the leading manufacturers of smartphones, as well as the assumption of no unauthorized access and downloading unlicensed operating systems. This allows you to extend the functionality of modern personal communication devices, including smartphones and overcome the limitations imposed by the manufacturers on the specific models of their smartphones. Thus it is proposed to provide expanded functionality of communication devices by forming multiple virtual machines (VMs) on different processor cores with guest OS which can be activated by the user if necessary. This allows safely combining within a single CD, e.g. smartphone, the possibilities incompatible before and at the same time it does not contradict the implementation of modular software and hardware components of the device. The nature of an invention is that the way of expanding the scope of available software personal communication device is proposed wherein using the main control processor program creates virtual machines on executed communication device with a multi-core processor of the operating frequency of 2.5 to 3.5 GHz that scans an e- signature of the component of operating systems at the time of their loading where the indicated virtual machines created with a variety of guest operating systems and with the main processor control program carry out the user activation of any of the guest operating systems running on virtual machines assuming when activated the control of communication devices.

Preferably the virtual machines are hardware hypervisors emulators with the guest operating systems from the group of WindowsMobile, Android, iOS where the communication unit from the group of cell phone, smartphone, tablet computer running one of the operating systems and the virtual machines are created within this operating system. In addition in parallel with the first operating system running on the active virtual machine and control operation of the device at the other processor core the second operating system is functioning and a daemon program associated with the applications of the first active operating system on one of the network protocols and providing access of these applications to the hardware and/or software resources of the second operating system.

The nature of an invention is that the communication device for implementing the above mentioned method comprises a housing which includes a motherboard, as well as a transceiver and a processor electrically connected between each other, the processor is connected to a monitor, a keyboard, a memory block, a power supply and means of sound signaling, characterized by the fact that a processor is configured as a multi-core processor with the operating frequency of 2.5 to 3.5 GHz where to the said processor via a data bus an additionally installed multi-functional identification module of a mobile communication subscriber is connected, and on the processor a group of virtual machines with a set of guest operating systems is designed, the set executed with the possibility that the user selects an operating system to manage the communication device by activating one of the virtual machine Preferably the processor is at least a 8-core processor, for example the processor is executed with 8 to 16 cores.

Simultaneously, the communication device may be designed as a unit from the group of cell phone, smartphone, tablet computer assembled of modular components with the possibility of replacing individual components independently.

Preferably the communications device is configured with the possibility of a modular installation and replacement of components on the motherboard from the group of screen, processor, battery, memory, camera, Wi-Fi units, Bluetooth, multifunctional identification module of a mobile communication subscriber contains the keys for verification electronic signature of guest operating systems and multifunctional identification module of a mobile communication subscriber is equipped with a software with the function of electronic signature verification of guest operating systems at the moment they are loaded.

Short description of drawings

In the drawing Fig. 1 a flow chart of CD operating under dedicated control system VM is shown; Fig. 2 shows a flow chart of CD using virtualization means of the basic OS, Fig. 3 shows a flow chart of CD using virtualization means and providing access to the hardware and/or software capabilities of a single OS for applications in the environment of the other operating system on the example of the active OS iOS and background OS Android.

In the drawings from Fig.l to Fig.3 the elements, function blocks, tools and systems are indicated by the following positions: Communication Device 1 ; Computing Device (Devices), i.e. Processor 2; Storage Device (Devices) 3; External Devices (screen, microphone, camera, etc.) 4; Dedicated Control System 5 VM (hypervisor); Guest OS 6; Basic OS 7; Active Guest OS 8; Background Guest OS 9; Process 10 in the Active OS 8; Daemon Process in the Background 1 1 Guest OS 9; External Device 12, controlled by Background Guest OS 9, as well as a Multifunctional Identification Module 13 of a Mobile Communication Subscriber is designated abbreviated as UPRA - Unified Personal Resource Authorizer (http://intersofteurasia.ru/novosti/2013/konecz-elektronnomu-rabstvu!.html). In the drawings some significant CD blocks are not shown as they are well- known and their functional tenancy to the terminal devices considered is incontestable.

Detailed Description of the Invention

Preferred embodiment

Communication Device 1 (cell phone, smartphone, tablet computer, etc.) comprises a housing which houses transceiver and processor 2 electrically interconnected, the processor is connected to a monitor, keyboard (key— type or touch), memory block, power supply and means of sound signaling (not shown in the drawings). Processor 2 is a multi-core processor to provide the operating frequency of the last 2.5 to 3.5 GHz with the basic operating system 7 and the formation of groups of virtual machines and creating based on them of a set of guest operating systems 6, 8, 9 with the possibility of the selection by the user of an operating system from 6, 8, 9 to control the Communication Device 1 by activating the appropriate virtual machine. The Device 1 is provided with a multi-functional identification module 13 of a mobile communication subscriber (.UPRA), executed, for example in accordance with the patent of Russian Federation for the utility model 137688.

Multi-functional Identification Module 13 of a mobile communication subscriber comprises usually mounted on a substrate programmable switching controller connected with the contact group, executed to connect to a mobile radio system bus intended for connection of the identification module, data bus, to which a cell group of nonvolatile memory, storage block of access keys to multiple wireless networks of mobile communications and controller for switching memory cells connected to the master controller are connected, executed with the possibility of the temporary formation of single-channel identification modules with any of the mentioned memory cells.

UPRA module 13 is connected to the Processor 2 via the data bus. Module 13 UPRA is executed with the software that verifies the electronic signature of the component of operating systems at the time of loading to avoid an unauthorized impact on the CD software. Processor 2 is at least a 8-core processor, also may be executed with 8 to 16 cores. Device 1 consists of modular components with the possibility of replacing individual components independently. Preferably the components of the group are modular to fit onto the motherboard: screen, processor, battery, memory, camera, Wi-Fi blocks, Bluetooth.

Communication device for implementing the stated method operates as follows.

To create a virtual machine (VM), for example for Windows - run VirtualBox, press the "Create" button and the questions of the wizard are answered:

• Name, family and specific operating system is specified that will be installed on this machine (e.g. Windows XP), click "Continue";

• Then select the amount of RAM of the future virtual computer;

• At the next step you create a virtual hard disk - select the option "Boot disk", specify its size in GB (for Windows XP at least 7 GB), type of the file - VDI. If the size of actual hard drive allows, a fixed virtual disk is created, if not - select option "Dynamic virtual disk", specify the place for storing virtual disk file (the specific logical section of the actual hard drive) by pressing the "Create" button and wait for completion of the process.

After you have created a virtual hard disk a new virtual machine - in this example with the name of Windows XP - in the Virtual Box main window will appear.

By pressing the "Properties" button the user enters the section which is a kind of virtual machine BIOS. Here you can change the settings, enable or disable various devices included in its structure. The default settings are a universal option, so any modification here is not reasonable. You need only go to the "Media" section and specify the source (drive) to install the operating system. In the "Storage Media" subsection select the device with the image of the disk and inscription "Empty", then in the right side of the VirtualBox window the actual optical drive is indicated (if installation is done with an actual installation disc that is in this drive) or an optical disk image (if installation disk is stored on the hard disc as an image), by pressing the "OK" button. After that the user is returned to the main VirtualBox window and by pressing the "Start" button the virtual machine will start on which from the source specified in the previous step (real or virtual drive) the installation of the operating system will be carried out. Examples of the OS installation:

· Guidelines for the installation of Windows 7

• Guideline for the installation of Windows 7

Likewise, any operating system can be installed on a virtual machine.

Upon completion of the installation of a virtual machine can be operated as a real computer. To turn off the virtual machine, you need to close the window which displays its desktop. All control buttons of the VM can be designated in Russian.

After the creation of the VM with guest OS operating within the base operating system (hereinafter - OS) of a smartphone a variety of guest operating systems (e.g. Android, WindowsMobile, iOS or specialized systems) can start. It is known that the most common operating environments operating on the modern smartphones today have some limitations. These limitations are associated with features of the OS, business models of the manufacturers and other factors. For example, the Android OS is more suitable to operate with data than OS iOS and etc. Ability to switch between operating systems allows the use of the strengths of these environments and minimizes the limitations imposed by them.

SW of this smartphone can be arranged in different ways. The control system of the VM may be dedicated (similar to the virtual machine monitor of the VM-370 system or Xen hypervisor). In this case the control system of the VM in practice is a specialized OS intended only to control the VM on which guest OS operates. There is a possibility to integrate the control system of the VM into a complete operating system. For example, in the OS WindowsServer 2008 a virtualization means Hyper- V in practice is a basic version of the OS and allows you to create sections in which a guest OS operates .

Modern multi-core processors for smartphones have a high capacity for simultaneous operation of two or more operating systems on different processor cores. Simultaneous running several operating systems allows to expand the functionality of the device by providing access to the hardware and/or software capabilities of a single OS (for example, iOS) in the environment other of the other OS (e.g. Android). The effective access to the resource may be executed by the process daemon (Daemon is a computer program in the systems of UNIX class triggered by the system itself and running in the background mode without direct user interaction to create such applications that may and should be executed without user interaction.). Process Daemon running under the background OS (e.g. Android) related to the process in the active operating system (for example, iOS) on one of the network protocols. An example of this expansion is the access from the environment of iOS to external devices (memory cards, etc.) unsupported by the CD of the Apple Company (or vice versa).

Switching between VMs available for user with loaded OS on them is executed by using the software on the device 13 UPRA. This software is a user interface of the SIM-menu level which is available on any CD, regardless of its structure.

OSs available for user with indication of versions are listed in the switch-over menu, the user can select the desired operating system and press the control menu item (button, position on the touch screen, etc.) to activate running this operating system.

After giving the command to activate the OS the UPRA device verifies the electronic signature of the image of the loaded OS; in the case of successful verification the operating system is loaded and is available to the user. If the electronic signature verification failed, the user receives a message that in the OS image unauthorized changes are made, the license conditions are violated and the loading is not performed. Electronic signature verification key for each from OS CD is stored inside the module 13 UPRA and never leaves it during processing, thereby eliminating a key location in the memory of CD available for other programs of the device and the accuracy of electronic signature verification loaded by the OS is ensured.

Each OS in the CD is located in a dedicated section of the ROM CD, thus ROM available to it is not visible for other OSs on the device. Thereby data for the user are available which he uses under a different OS. The Module 13 UPRA also acts as a universal memory that is available to all operating systems installed on the CD, in the Module 13 UPRA the user via the application of a particular OS can load random data thus ensuring their accessibility to it when loading another OS,

The main technical result implemented by the stated invention are: extending the functionality of the communication device due to the use of features implemented from the various operating systems, in particular overcoming the limitations imposed by the particular OS CD; access to hardware and/or software capabilities supported by another OS.

According to the stated method the software of a device uses the principle of virtualization. When running SW several VMs are created on which guest OSs operate controlling the device itself. The CD user may select an active VM (and a corresponding operating system) and use any of the user interfaces implemented in these systems.

This allows the use of possibilities and user interfaces developed by all leading manufacturers of CD and software, such as Apple, Samsung, Microsoft, Google and others, i.e. the maximum expansion of the available software.

Industrial Applications

The present invention is embodied with multipurpose equipment extensively employed by the industry.

Claims

1. The way of expanding the scope of available software personal communication device wherein using the main control processor program virtual machines on executed communication device with a multi-core processor of the operating frequency of 2.5 to 3.5 GHz are created, the processor verifies an electronic signature of the component of operating systems at the time of their loading, where the indicated virtual machines created with a variety of guest operating systems, and with the main processor control program carry out the user activation of any of the guest operating systems running on virtual machines assuming when activated the control of communication devices.

2. A method according claim 1 differed by the fact that the virtual machines are hypervisors, in other words emulators of the hardware with the guest operating systems from the group: WindowsMobile, Android, iOS.

3. A method according to any one of claim 1 to 2 differed by the fact that the communication unit from the group of cell phone, smartphone, and tablet computer running under control of one of the operating systems and the virtual machines are created within this operating system.

4. A method according to any one of claim 1 to 2 differed by the fact that in parallel with the first operating system running on the active virtual machine and control operation of the device at the other processor core the second operating system is functioning and a daemon program associated with the applications of the first active operating system on one of the network protocols and providing access of these applications to the hardware and/or software resources of the second operating system.

5. Communication device for implementing the method according to claim 1 to 4 comprising a housing which includes a motherboard, as well as a transceiver and a processor electrically connected between each other, the processor is connected to a monitor, a keyboard, a memory block, a power supply and means of sound signaling characterized by the fact that a processor is configured as a multi- core processor with the operating frequency of 2.5 to 3.5 GHz where to the said processor via a data bus an additionally installed multi-functional identification module of a mobile communication subscriber is connected and on the processor a group of virtual machines with a set of guest operating systems is designed, the set executed with the possibility that the user selects an operating system to manage the communication device by activating one of the virtual machine

6. The device according to claim 5 differed by the fact that the processor is at least a 8-core processor.

7. The device according to claim 5 differed by the fact that the processor is executed with 8 to 16 cores.

8. The device according to any one of claim 5 to 7 differed by the fact that the device is executed as a device in the form from the group of cell phone, smartphone, tablet computer assembled of modular components with the possibility of replacing individual components independently.

9. The device according to claim 5 differed by the fact that it is executed as a modular structure with the possibility of installation and replacement of components on the motherboard from the group: screen, processor, battery, memory, camera, Wi-Fi blocks, Bluetooth.

10. The device according to any one of claim 5 to 7 differed by the fact that multifunctional identification module of a mobile communication subscriber contains the verification keys of electronic signature of the guest operating systems.

11. The device according to claim 5, differed by the fact that multifunctional identification module of a mobile communication subscriber is provided with a software with the function of electronic signature verification of guest operating systems at the time of its downloading.