WIRELESS UNIVERSAL PROVISIONING DEVICE

• US 20010041591A1
• Filed: 08/19/1999
• Published: 11/15/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Laboratories Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Laboratories Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: CARROLL, CHRISTOPHER PAUL
• Granted Patent: US 6,487,403 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/557
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/04 Key management, e.g. using generic bootstrapping architecture [GBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/12 Detection or prevention of fraud
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/35 Protecting application or service provisioning, e.g. securing SIM application provisioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/265 for initial activation of new user
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/18 between terminal devices

Abstract

A system includes at least one wireless communications device having a standard wireless interface and a wireless provisioning device that provisions the wireless communications device. The wireless provisioning device uses the standard wireless interface to transfer the provisioning information to the wireless communications device when both devices are at close proximity. The provisioning device includes a computer, having a memory and a processor, which provisions the wireless communications device, and a radio transceiver, connected to the computer, for transmitting provisioning information to the wireless communications device to activate the wireless communications device.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

at least one wireless communications device having a standard wireless interface; and

a wireless provisioning device that provisions the wireless communications device by using the standard wireless interface, the provisioning device being in close proximity to the wireless communications device, the provisioning device including;

a provisioning unit that controls the transfer of a provisioning message; and

a communication unit, connected to the provisioning unit, that transmits the provisioning message to the wireless communications device to activate the wireless communication device.

2. The system of

claim 1

, wherein the communication unit transmits the provisioning message to the wireless communications device at a low power level.

3. The system of

claim 2

, wherein the wireless communications device is a wireless telephone, and the standard wireless interface is an air interface between the wireless telephone and an operational network of the wireless telephone.

4. The system of

claim 3

, wherein the network includes a Service Provider, the provisioning message being generated by the Service Provider and electronically distributed to the provisioning device for transmission to the wireless communications device.

5. The system of

claim 3

, wherein the provisioning device generates the provisioning message.

6. The system of

claim 1

, wherein the wireless communications device is a pager.

7. The system of

claim 1

, wherein the wireless communications device is a personal digital assistant.

8. The system of

claim 1

, wherein the wireless communications device is a radio scanner.

9. The system of

claim 1

, wherein the wireless communications device is a radio transceiver.

10. The system of

claim 1

, wherein the wireless communications device is a garage door opener.

11. The system of

claim 1

, wherein the wireless communications device is a gas meter.

12. A method for provisioning a wireless device using a provisioning device, comprising:

selecting a type of wireless device to be provisioned;

targeting the wireless device;

generating a provisioning message;

placing the wireless device in a provisioning mode;

transmitting the provisioning message to the wireless device;

generating a signal upon completion of the transmitting of the provisioning message; and

storing the provisioning message that was transmitted to the wireless device in a database.

13. The method of

claim 12

, wherein the step of generating the provisioning message is performed by the provisioning device.

14. The method of

claim 12

, wherein the step of generating the provisioning message is performed by a Service Provider, and the generated message is electronically distributed to the provisioning device.

15. The method of

claim 12

, wherein the step of placing the wireless device in the provisioning mode is carried out by an user of the wireless device by entering a keypad sequence.

16. The method of

claim 15

, wherein the step of placing the wireless device in provisioning mode includes the step of locking the wireless device to the provisioning device.

17. The method of

claim 16

, wherein the step of locking the wireless device is performed by the provisioning device by mimicking a control channel of an operational network of the wireless device.

18. The method of

claim 16

, wherein the step of locking the wireless device includes placing the wireless device in a test mode to force the wireless device to tune to a predetermined frequency.

19. The method of step 12, wherein the provisioning that is stored in the memory location of the provisioning device, is downloaded into a Service Provider'"'"'s database associated with the wireless device that has been provisioned.

20. A system comprising:

wireless electronic means for performing wireless communications and having a standard wireless interface; and

means for provisioning said wireless electronic means using the standard wireless interface, the provisioning means being in close proximity to the wireless electronic means, the provisioning means including;

means for controlling the transfer of a provisioning message, and means for transmitting the provisioning message to the wireless electronic means to activate the wireless electronic means under control of the control means.

21. A wireless provisioning device for activating at least one wireless communication device having a standard wireless interface, comprising:

a control unit that controls the transfer of a provisioning message; and

a communications unit, connected to the control unit and located in close proximity to the at least one wireless communication device, that transmits the provisioning message to the at least one wireless communication device via the standard wireless interface to activate the at least one wireless communication device.

22. A wireless communication device connected to a wireless provisioning device over a wireless link, the wireless provisioning device controlling the transfer of a provisioning message to the wireless communication device to activate the wireless communication device, the wireless communication device comprising:

an input unit that receives an input signal to place the wireless communication device in a provisioning mode;

a communication unit located in close proximity to the wireless provisioning device to receive the provisioning message from the wireless provisioning device over a standard wireless interface when the wireless communication device is in the provisioning mode; and

a processor that activates the wireless communication device using the provisioning message and transmits a completion signal to the wireless provisioning device upon completion of activation.

23. A method for initializing a wireless communication device from a wireless provisioning device located in close proximity to the wireless communication device, the wireless communication device having a standard wireless interface, the method comprising:

placing the wireless communication device in a provisioning mode;

receiving a provisioning message from the wireless provisioning device over the standard wireless interface, the provisioning message having initializing instructions for the wireless communication device;

transmitting a signal upon completion of the receiving of the provisioning message; and

initializing the wireless communication device using the initializing instructions of the provisioning message.