Software updating method and radio communication apparatus

1. A method for updating software in a radio communication system comprising a radio communication apparatus having a communication function to be changed by changing software and a download server for supplying software to the radio communication apparatus, the method comprising the steps of:

downloading from the download server to the radio communication apparatus software data in which a part of the communication function is limited by a limitation;

storing the downloaded software data in a memory device by the radio communication apparatus;

reconfiguring by the radio communication apparatus the communication function by use of the software data stored in the memory;

testing a performance of the communication function by the radio communication apparatus to determine whether or not reconfiguration of the communication function has been successfully completed;

requesting by the radio communication apparatus an execution-allowing key information for canceling the limitation of the communication function in a case when it is determined that the reconfiguration of the communication function has been successfully completed;

supplying from the download server to the radio communication apparatus the execution-allowing key information in response to the request; and

canceling by the radio communication apparatus the limitation of the communication function by use of the execution-allowing key information supplied by the server.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:

performing the test by outputting a transmission signal generated by the radio communication apparatus as a power that can be detected by the radio communication apparatus itself, and

determining whether or not the transmission signal received satisfies a predetermined performance, and providing a normal test result in a case of satisfying the predetermined performance.

3. The method according to claim 2 , further comprising the steps of:

determining whether or not the predetermined performance is satisfied by determining that a spectrum mask of the transmission signal, power leakage outside of an occupation band, modulation accuracy of a modulation signal including phase jitter and amplitude variation, and reception power, are within a range of a predetermined value.

4. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:

downloading the software data on a first channel, and

transmitting the execution-allowing key information on a second channel.

5. The method according to claim 4 , further comprising the steps of:

downloading the software data on the first channel which is a channel for a broadcast type communication or a multicast type communication, and

transmitting the execution-allowing key information on the second channel which is a channel for an individual communication type.

6. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:

limiting the communication function by at least one of limiting a digital signal process and limiting an analog reception process in the radio communication apparatus,

restoring by the execution-allowing key information which is differential program data the program of the digital signal process in a case the digital signal process is limited, and

canceling by a control data an operation limitation in the analog reception process in a case the analog reception process is limited.

7. A method for updating software in a radio communication system comprising a radio communication apparatus having a communication function to be changed by changing software and a license server for supplying an execution-allowing key information for canceling a limitation in the communication function, the method comprising the steps of:

downloading from a media to a connected radio communication apparatus software data in which a part of the communication function is limited;

storing the downloaded software data in a memory device by the radio communication apparatus;

reconfiguring by the radio communication apparatus the communication function by use of the downloaded software data stored in the memory device;

testing a performance of the communication function by the radio communication apparatus to determine whether or not reconfiguration of the communication function has been successfully completed;

requesting to the license server from the radio communication apparatus the execution-allowing key information for canceling the limitation of the communication function in a case when it is determined that the reconfiguration of the communication function has been successfully completed;

supplying from the license sever to the radio communication apparatus the execution-allowing key information in response to the request; and

canceling by the radio communication apparatus the limitation of the communication function by use of the execution-allowing key information supplied by the server.

8. The method according to claim 7 , further comprising the steps of:

performing the test by outputting a transmission signal generated by the radio communication apparatus as a power that can be detected by the radio communication apparatus itself, and

determining whether or not the transmission signal received satisfies a predetermined performance, and providing a normal test result in a case of satisfying the predetermined performance.

9. A method of updating software comprising the steps of:

downloading from a first media to a connected radio communication apparatus software data in which a part of a communication function of the radio communication apparatus is limited by a limitation;

storing the downloaded software data in a memory device by the radio communication apparatus;

reconfiguring by the radio communication apparatus the communication function by use of the downloaded software data stored in the memory device;

testing a performance of the communication function by the radio communication apparatus to determine whether or not reconfiguration of the communication function has been successfully completed;

downloading from a second media to the connected radio communication apparatus an execution-allowing key information for canceling the limitation of the communication function when it is determined that the reconfiguration of the communication function has been successfully completed; and

canceling by the radio communication apparatus the limitation of the communication function by use of the execution-allowing key information.

10. The method according to claim 9 , further comprising the steps of:

writing to the second media from the radio communication apparatus information representative of being already-used after canceling the limitation of the communication function by use of the execution-allowing key information.

11. The method according to claim 9 , further comprising the steps of:

performing the test by outputting a transmission signal generated by the radio communication apparatus as a power that can be detected by the radio communication apparatus itself, and

determining whether or not the transmission signal received satisfies a predetermined performance, and providing a normal test result in a case of satisfying the predetermined performance.

12. A radio communication apparatus having a communication function to be changed by changing software, the radio communication apparatus characterized by comprising:

a download control section for downloading software in which a part of the communication function is limited by a limitation and downloading an execution-allowing key information for canceling the limitation of the communication function;

a memory device for storing the downloaded software;

a software radio section for reconfiguring the communication function by use of the downloaded software stored in the memory device; and

a test section for testing a performance of the communication function to determine whether or not the reconfiguration of the communication function has been successfully completed;

whereby, when the test section determines that the reconfiguration of the communication function has been successfully completed, the download control section downloads the execution-allowing key information to the software radio section and cancels the limitation of the communication function.

13. The radio communication apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the memory device of the software radio section is non-volatile memory for storing the software downloaded by the download control section, the software radio section has a configuration control section for updating the communication function by use of the software stored.

14. The radio communication apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the limitation of the communication function of the downloaded software is a part of a program for a digital signal processing section in the software radio section, and the execution-allowing key information is differential program data for restoring the program for the digital signal processing section.

15. The radio communication apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the limitation of the communication function of the downloaded software is a part of a program for a digital signal processing section in the software radio section, and the execution-allowing key information is differential program data for restoring the program for the digital signal processing section.

16. A radio communication apparatus having a communication function to be changed by changing software, the radio communication apparatus characterized by comprising:

an interface section for having a connection with a media storing software;

a first download control section for downloading software from the media through the interface section in which a part of the communication function is limited by a limitation;

a memory device for storing the downloaded software;

a software radio section for reconfiguring the communication function by use of the downloaded software stored in the memory device;

a second download control section for having a connection to a license server for supplying through a wireless communication channel connected with the software radio section an execution-allowing key information to cancel the limitation of the communication function; and

a test section for testing a performance of the communication function to determine whether or not reconfiguration of the communication function by the software downloaded by the first download control section has been successfully completed;

whereby, when the test section determines that the reconfiguration of the communication function has been successfully completed, the second download control section downloads the execution-allowing key information to the software radio section and cancels the limitation of the communication function.

17. The radio communication apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein the software includes a program for connecting through a wireless communication channel with the license server by updating the downloaded software in the software radio section.

18. A radio communication apparatus having a communication function to be changed by changing software, the radio communication apparatus characterized by comprising:

an interface section for having a connection with a media for storing at least one of software data and an execution-allowing key information for canceling a limitation of the communication function;

a download control section for downloading, from the media, the software in which a part of the communication function is limited and downloading through the interface section, the execution-allowing key information;

a memory device for storing the downloaded software;

a software radio section for reconfiguring the communication function by use of the downloaded software stored in the memory device; and

a test section for testing a performance of the communication function to determine whether or not the reconfiguration of the communication function by the software has been successfully completed;

whereby, when the test section determines that the reconfiguration of the communication function has been successfully completed, the download control section downloads the execution-allowing key information to the software radio section and cancels the limitation of the communication function.