System and method for automatic provisioning detection and notification

• US 20030027581A1
• Filed: 07/31/2001
• Published: 02/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Ihamaki, Esa, Jokinen, Hannu J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,107,937 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/30 Profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/04 Key management, e.g. using generic bootstrapping architecture [GBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/35 Protecting application or service provisioning, e.g. securing SIM application provisioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/04 Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber Server]

Abstract

A system and method for automatically initiating provisioning procedures is provided. Terminals that have not been provisioned for connection to a network or service are automatically recognized at the network. When such an unprovisioned terminal has been detected, a notification is dispatched to an appropriate provisioning network entity to initiate the provisioning procedures for the unprovisioned terminal.

Claims

1. A method for initiating provisioning procedures for terminals operable in a mobile communications network, comprising:

automatically detecting an unprovisioned terminal in the mobile communications network; and

providing a notification to a provisioning server to initiate the provisioning procedures for the unprovisioned terminal in response to the automatic detection of the unprovisioned terminal.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising monitoring for a subscriber identifier identifying a particular subscriber and an equipment identifier identifying the unprovisioned terminal, and wherein automatically detecting an unprovisioned terminal comprises determining that the subscriber and equipment identifiers do not collectively correspond to known subscriber and equipment affiliations.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically detecting an unprovisioned terminal in the mobile communications network comprises:

receiving a subscriber identifier identifying a particular subscriber and an equipment identifier identifying the unprovisioned terminal; and

comparing the subscriber identifier and the equipment identifier as an affiliated identifier pair to stored identifier pairs comprising known subscriber-equipment affiliations.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising storing the stored identifier pairs in a Home Location Register (HLR) at the network.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein comparing the affiliated identifier pair to the stored identifier pairs comprises comparing the affiliated identifier pair to the stored identifier pairs at a Mobile Switching Center (MSC).

6. The method of claim 4, wherein comparing the affiliated identifier pair to the stored identifier pairs comprises comparing the affiliated identifier pair to the stored identifier pairs at a Serving GPRS Support Node (SGSN).

7. The method of claim 3, wherein each of the known subscriber-equipment affiliations comprise at least one equipment identifier for each subscriber corresponding to a subscriber identifier.

8. The method of claim 3, wherein receiving a subscriber identifier and an equipment identifier comprises receiving at least an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) and an International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI).

9. The method of claim 8, wherein comparing the affiliated identifier pair to stored identifier pairs comprises comparing the affiliated identifier pair comprising the IMSI and the IMEI to a plurality of stored IMSI/IMEI pairs.

10. The method of claim 3, further comprising availing the subscriber identifier and the equipment identifier to the mobile communications network in connection with an attach procedure.

11. The method of claim 3, further comprising availing the subscriber identifier and the equipment identifier to the mobile communications network in connection with a location update procedure.

12. The method of claim 3, wherein automatically detecting further comprises recognizing that the affiliated identifier pair does not match any of the stored identifier pairs in response to the comparison.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein providing a notification to a provisioning server comprises notifying the provisioning server in response to a recognition that the affiliated identifier pair does not match any of the stored identifier pairs.

14. The method of claim 3, further comprising providing the subscriber identifier and the equipment identifier by the unprovisioned terminal upon power up of the unprovisioned terminal.

15. The method of claim 3, wherein:

receiving the subscriber identifier and the equipment identifier comprises continuously monitoring the affiliated identifier pair at the provisioning server through a signaling channel;

comparing the subscriber identifier and the equipment identifier comprises comparing the affiliated identifier pair to stored identifier pairs at the provisioning terminal; and

providing a notification to the provisioning server comprises providing the notification internally at the provisioning server.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein providing a notification comprises automatically transmitting the notification to the provisioning server through the mobile communications network upon detection of the unprovisioned terminal.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising creating a notification message to provide the notification, wherein the notification message includes at least a subscriber identifier identifying a particular subscriber and an equipment identifier identifying the unprovisioned terminal.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein creating the notification message comprises creating a Short Messaging Service (SMS) message including the subscriber and equipment identifiers in a user data field.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the subscriber identifier comprises at least an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI).

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the subscriber identifier further comprises a Mobile Station ISDN/PSTN Number (MSISDN).

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the equipment identifier comprises an International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI).

22. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

generating provisioning data at the provisioning server, wherein generating the provisioning data comprises correlating the equipment identifier with corresponding predetermined provisioning data; and

transmitting the predetermined provisioning data from the provisioning server to the unprovisioned terminal.

23. The method of claim 16, wherein automatically transmitting the notification to the provisioning server through the mobile communications network comprises:

initiating an alarm at a network management system (NMS);

forwarding the notification to the NMS; and

transmitting the notification from the NMS to the provisioning server.

24. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating provisioning data by the provisioning server, and transmitting the provisioning data from the provisioning server to the unprovisioned terminal.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising receiving an equipment identifier identifying the unprovisioned terminal and correlating the equipment identifier to a matching terminal type;

and wherein generating the provisioning data comprises retrieving default provisioning data corresponding to the matching terminal type.

26. The method of claim 24, further comprising contacting the unprovisioned terminal using a Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) push message to notify the unprovisioned terminal of the transmission of the provisioning data.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising establishing a connection between the unprovisioned terminal and the provisioning server, and wherein transmitting the provisioning data comprises transmitting the provisioning data via a SyncML-based protocol.

28. A provisioning system for automatically provisioning terminals in a mobile communications network, comprising:

a detection module coupled to the mobile communications network to monitor for at least a subscriber identifier and an equipment identifier transmitted from an unprovisioned terminal;

a provisioning trigger module coupled to the detection module to generate a provisioning notification based on the subscriber and equipment identifiers indicating that the unprovisioned terminal has been introduced on the mobile communications network; and

a provisioning server coupled to receive the provisioning notification and to instigate provisioning procedures with the unprovisioned terminal in response to the provisioning notification.

29. The provisioning system as in claim 28, wherein the detection module is integrated with an existing network element of the mobile communications system.

30. The provisioning system as in claim 28, further comprising a Mobile Switching Center (MSC) coupled to receive the subscriber identifier and the equipment identifier, and wherein the detection module is integrated with the MSC to monitor for the unprovisioned terminal.

31. The provisioning system as in claim 30, wherein the detection module comprises a processor integral to the MSC, and wherein the processor compares an identifier group comprising the subscriber and equipment identifiers to known subscriber-equipment groups.

32. The provisioning system as in claim 31, further comprising a database to store the known subscriber-equipment groups.

33. The provisioning system as in claim 32, wherein the database comprises a Home Location Register (HLR) operable in the mobile communications system, wherein each record of the HLR comprises:

a subscriber identity field to store the subscriber identifier; and

an equipment identify field to store the equipment identifier.

34. The provisioning system as in claim 30, wherein the provisioning trigger module is integrated with the MSC to generate the provisioning notification.

35. The provisioning system as in claim 34, further comprising a Short Message Service Center (SMSC) to receive the provisioning notification from the MSC, and to transmit the provisioning notification to the provisioning server, wherein the provisioning notification is dispatched as a Short Messaging Service (SMS) message including at least the subscriber identifier and the equipment identifier.

36. The provisioning system as in claim 34, wherein the provisioning trigger module comprises a processor integral to the MSC, and wherein the processor generates the provisioning notification in response to the detection of the unprovisioned terminal.

37. The provisioning system as in claim 34, further comprising a Network Management System (NMS) to receive the provisioning notification from the MSC as an NMS alarm signal, and to transmit the provisioning notification to the provisioning server in response thereto.

38. The provisioning system as in claim 28, further comprising an Serving GPRS Support Node (SGSN) coupled to receive the subscriber identifier and the equipment identifier, and wherein the detection module is integrated with the SGSN to monitor for the unprovisioned terminal.

39. The provisioning system as in claim 38, wherein the detection module comprises a processor integral to the SGSN, and wherein the processor compares an identifier group comprising the subscriber and equipment identifiers to known subscriber-equipment groups.

40. The provisioning system as in claim 39, further comprising a Home Location Register (HLR) database operable in the mobile communications system to store the known subscriber-equipment groups, wherein each record of the HLR comprises:

a subscriber identity field to store the subscriber identifier; and

an equipment identify field to store the equipment identifier.

41. The provisioning system as in claim 38, wherein the provisioning trigger module is integrated with the SGSN to generate the provisioning notification.

42. The provisioning system as in claim 41, further comprising a Short Message Service Center (SMSC) to receive the provisioning notification from the SGSN, and to transmit the provisioning notification to the provisioning server, wherein the provisioning notification is dispatched as a Short Messaging Service (SMS) message including at least the subscriber identifier and the equipment identifier.

43. The provisioning system as in claim 41, wherein the provisioning trigger module comprises a processor integral to the SGSN, and wherein the processor generates the provisioning notification in response to the detection of the unprovisioned terminal.

44. The provisioning system as in claim 41, further comprising a Network Management System (NMS) to receive the provisioning notification from the SGSN as an NMS alarm signal, and to transmit the provisioning notification to the provisioning server in response thereto.

45. The provisioning system as in claim 28, wherein the provisioning server comprises:

a phone capability database to store mobile terminal models corresponding to each of a plurality of available equipment identifiers;

a configuration messages database to store provisioning data for each mobile terminal model; and

a processor configured to obtain the provisioning data for the unprovisioned terminal by retrieving the provisioning data for the mobile terminal model corresponding to the equipment identifier of the unprovisioned terminal.

46. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for initiating provisioning procedures for terminals operable in a mobile communications network, the computer-executable instructions performing steps comprising:

automatically detecting an unprovisioned terminal in the mobile communications network; and

providing a notification to a provisioning server to initiate the provisioning procedures for the unprovisioned terminal in response to the automatic detection of the unprovisioned terminal.

47. A provisioning system for automatically provisioning terminals in a mobile communications network, comprising:

means for monitoring for a subscriber identifier identifying a particular subscriber and an equipment identifier identifying an unprovisioned terminal;

means for automatically detecting the unprovisioned terminal in the mobile communications network, including means for determining that the subscriber and equipment identifiers do not collectively correspond to known subscriber and equipment affiliations; and

means for providing a notification to a provisioning server to initiate a provisioning procedure for the unprovisioned terminal in response to the automatic detection of the unprovisioned terminal.