Over the air provisioning of mobile device settings

• US 10,368,214 B1
• Filed: 09/26/2014
• Issued: 07/30/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SITO Mobile R&D IP, LLC
• Original Assignee: SITO Mobile R&D IP, LLC
• Inventors: Macaluso, Anthony G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Michael T
• Application Number:
  US14/498,645
• Time in Patent Office: 1,768 Days
• Field of Search: 455405-408
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/445 Program loading or initiating bootstrapping G06F9/4401; security arrangements for program loading or initiating G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72406 by software upgrading or downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/49 Connection to several service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/51 for resellers, retailers or service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/80 Rating or billing plans; Tariff determination aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42178 by downloading data to substation equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/205 Transfer to or from user equipment or user record carrier

Abstract

Techniques and systems for providing services to a mobile device allow settings on the mobile device to be provisioned over the air. In response to a request for mobile service subscription options received from the mobile device, data relating to mobile service subscription options, for selection by a user of the mobile device, may be sent to the mobile device over a wireless communication path. A selection of one or more subscription options may be received from the mobile device over the wireless communication path, and a service corresponding to the selected subscription options may be activated in response to the selection. Settings associated with the selected subscription options may be downloaded over the air to the mobile device, which may store the settings to enable the mobile device to access the subscription.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

providing, by an application download server to a mobile device, an application including executable instructions which, when executed by a processor of the mobile device,

(i) cause the mobile device to transmit an activation request for wireless communication services;

(ii) cause the mobile device to be activated for use with any one of a plurality of mobile network carriers, the one of the plurality of mobile network carriers being selected by a user of the mobile device from a user interface at the mobile device, the user interface presenting a plurality of mobile network carrier options from which the user may select the one of the plurality of mobile network carriers,

(iii) enable access by the mobile device of wireless communication services provided by the one of the plurality of mobile network carriers for which the mobile device has been activated, and

(iv) enable the user of the mobile device to select from the user interface one or more service plans associated with the selected one of the plurality of mobile network carriers, the user interface presenting a plurality of service plan options from which the user may select the one or more service plans,

wherein the application is provided to the mobile device by an entity that is not one of the mobile network carriers;

transmitting application download event information to a transaction manager, the transaction manager including at least one processor; and

determining, by the transaction manager, one or more usage records for the wireless communication services.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is performed by a mobile virtual network operator.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting the one or more usage records to a billing server.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising generating a report by the billing server indicating usage of the services.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the application download server is operated by a mobile virtual network operator.

6. A system comprising:

an application download server comprising at least one processor and a memory storing an application, the application including executable instructions which, when executed by a processor of a mobile device,

(i) cause the mobile device to transmit an activation request for wireless communication services;

(ii) cause the mobile device to be activated for use with any one of a plurality of mobile network carriers, the one of the plurality of mobile network carriers being selected by a user of the mobile device from a user interface at the mobile device, the user interface presenting a plurality of mobile network carrier options from which the user may select the one of the plurality of mobile network carriers,

(iii) enable access by the mobile device of wireless communication services provided by the one of the plurality of mobile network carriers for which the mobile device has been activated, and

(iv) enable the user of the mobile device to select from the user interface one or more calling plans associated with the selected one of the plurality of mobile network carriers, the user interface presenting a plurality of service plan options from which the user may select the one or more service plans; and

a transaction manager including at least one processor;

wherein the application is provided to the mobile device by an entity that is not one of the mobile network carriers;

wherein the application download server transmits application download event information to the transaction manager, and

wherein the transaction manager determines one or more usage records for the wireless communication services.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the application download server is operated by a mobile virtual network operator.

8. The system of claim 6, further comprising a billing server, wherein the transaction manage transmits one or more usage records to the billing server.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the billing server generates a report indicating usage of the services.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the transaction manager is operated by a mobile virtual network operator.

11. The system of claim 6, wherein the application download server transmits the application to the mobile device over a wireless network.