Enterprise gateway to mobile operator

• US 10,178,242 B2
• Filed: 03/17/2017
• Issued: 01/08/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Guday, Shai, Bruner, John David, Rangarajan, Sandeep
• Primary Examiner(s): Schwartz, Joshua
• Application Number:
  US15/462,270
• Publication Number:
  US 20180270363A1
• Time in Patent Office: 662 Days
• Field of Search: 455418, 455419
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/41 Billing record details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure of call data record [CDR]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/42 Dynamic individual rates per user
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/44 Augmented, consolidated or itemized billing statement or bill presentation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/751 Card based account, e.g. smart card, SIM card or USIM
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/765 Linked or grouped accounts, e.g. of users or devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/7652 shared by users
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8038 Roaming or handoff
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8083 involving reduced rates or discounts, e.g. time-of-day reductions or volume discounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8214 Data or packet based
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements

Abstract

Techniques for managing a plurality of mobile communications devices by an enterprise server are described. The mobile communications devices may be configured to communicate on a mobile communications network operated by a mobile network operator. A communicative link is established with a proxy interface configured to implement a standardized interface for exchanging information between the enterprise and the mobile network operator. Data is received by the enterprise server via the proxy interface. The data is associated with subscription services for a plurality of mobile communications devices that are operable on the mobile communications network. The subscription services are associated with the mobile network operator. Requests are sent by the enterprise server via the proxy interface. The requests are for updating the subscription services of the mobile network operator.

Claims

1. A method of managing a plurality of mobile communications devices by an enterprise server of an enterprise, the mobile communications devices configured to communicate on a mobile communications network associated with a mobile network operator, the method comprising:

establishing a communicative link with a proxy interface configured to implement a standardized interface for exchanging information between the enterprise and the mobile network operator;

receiving, by the enterprise server via the proxy interface, data associated with subscription services for a plurality of the mobile communications devices that are operable on the mobile communications network, the subscription services associated with the mobile network operator;

sending, by the enterprise server via the proxy interface, requests for updating the subscription services of the mobile network operator, the proxy interface configured to communicate with different protocols of respective mobile network operator support systems;

receiving, by the enterprise server via the proxy interface, a plurality of identifiers indicative of subscription credentials that are operative to enable access to subscript services of the mobile network operator via the mobile communications network, wherein control of deployment of the subscription credentials is delegated from the mobile network operator to the enterprise server; and

sending, by the enterprise server via the proxy interface, selections indicative of which of the plurality of mobile communications devices are to be enabled to access the subscription services of the mobile network operator.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the data comprises data indicative of identities of a plurality of mobile communications devices.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving, by the enterprise server via the proxy interface, a plurality of identifiers indicative of subscription credentials that are operative to enable access to subscription services of the mobile network operator via the mobile communications network, wherein control of deployment of the subscription credentials is delegated from the mobile network operator to the enterprise server;

sending, by the enterprise server via the proxy interface, selections indicative of which of the plurality of mobile communications devices are to be enabled to access the subscription services of the mobile network operator.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising initiating a process to transmit the subscription credentials to the selected mobile devices.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said control of deployment of the subscription credentials includes receiving, from the mobile network operator by the enterprise server via the proxy interface, the subscription credentials associated with the identifiers.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the data comprises data usage associated with the plurality of mobile communications devices.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the data comprises roaming services associated with the plurality of mobile communications devices.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the requests comprise requests for changes in services for the plurality of mobile communications devices.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the standardized interface is an application programming interface (API).

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the requests comprise a request for a change in a user plan for at least one of the plurality of mobile communications devices.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the data includes performance characteristics associated with the plurality of mobile communications devices.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the requests comprise a request for a change in a user plan for at least one of the plurality of mobile communications devices, the request generated in response to the performance characteristics.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the change comprises a change in an international dialing plan or an international roaming plan.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the proxy interface is hosted by a third party entity.

15. A system configured to facilitate control of a plurality of mobile communications devices, the mobile communications devices configured to communicate on a mobile communications network operated by a mobile network operator, the system comprising:

a memory storing thereon instructions that when executed by a processor of the system, cause the system to;

receive, from one or more enterprise servers operated by an enterprise that is not the mobile network operator, data comprising data indicative of identities of a plurality of mobile communications devices;

send, via a proxy interface to a server associated with the mobile network operator, the data indicative of identities of a plurality of mobile communications devices, wherein the proxy interface is configured to expose a standardized interface for exchanging information with the mobile network operator and with other mobile network operators, the standardized interface implementing different protocols of the respective mobile network operators, wherein the proxy interface translates the data indicative of the identifies of a plurality of mobile communications devices to a format of the protocol implemented by the mobile network operator before sending the data;

receive, via the proxy interface from the one or more enterprise servers, first data indicative of requests to update one or more subscription services for the plurality of mobile communications devices, the subscription services provided by the mobile network operator;

transform the first data to a format that corresponds to the protocol of the mobile network operator, and send the transformed first data to the server associated with the mobile network operator;

receive, from the server associated with the mobile network operator, second data indicative of a result of the requests, the second data in a format conforming to the protocol used by the mobile network operator, and transforming the second data from the format of the protocol used by the mobile network operator to a format corresponding to a protocol used by the one or more enterprise servers; and

send, via the proxy interface to the one or more enterprise servers, the transformed second data indicative of a result of the requests.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising instructions that when executed by a processor of the system, cause the system to cause deployment of subscription credentials to the plurality of mobile communications devices.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein a selected mobile communications device is provisioned by sending selected subscription credentials to a credential device of the selected mobile communications device.

18. The system of claim 15, further comprising instructions that when executed by a processor of the system, cause the system to:

receive credentials from the mobile network operator via the proxy interface; and

provision a selected mobile communications device by sending the credentials to a credential device of the selected mobile communications device.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the subscription credentials are generated on mobile network operator servers.

20. A computing device configured to control a plurality of mobile communications devices that are configured to communicate on a mobile communications network operated by a mobile network operator, the computing device configured to instantiate a proxy interface that is configured to:

receive, via the proxy interface, data indicative of identities of a plurality of mobile communications devices, wherein the proxy interface is configured to expose a standardized interface for exchanging information with the mobile network operator;

receive, via the proxy interface, first data indicative of requests to update one or more subscription services of the mobile network operator, the requests comprising respective identifiers indicative of subscription credentials that are operative to enable access to subscription services of the mobile network operator via the mobile communications network, wherein control of deployment of the subscription credentials is delegated from the mobile network operator to the enterprise server; and

send, via the proxy interface, second data indicative of a result of the received requests, the second data indicative of which of the plurality of mobile communications devices are to be enabled to access the subscription services of the mobile network operator.