Provider-activated software for mobile communication devices

• US 20040110494A1
• Filed: 12/03/2003
• Published: 06/10/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Voice Signal Technologies Incorporated (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Cohen, Jordan, Roth, Daniel L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,873,390 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/271 controlled by voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72406 by software upgrading or downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72427 for supporting games or graphical animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72448 with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/22 Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities

Abstract

A mobile voice communication device including a wireless transceiver circuit for transmitting and receiving voice communications and for receiving data; a digital processor; and a memory storing application program code which when executed on the digital processor causes the mobile voice communication device to provide predetermined functionality to the user of the mobile voice communication device. The predetermined functionality includes basic features and it includes enhanced features that are in addition to the basic features. The application program code has a deactivated state in which the mobile voice communication device provides the basic features to the user without providing the enhanced features and an activated state in which the mobile voice communication device provides the enhanced features. Toggling between the deactivated and activated states is accomplished by receiving through the wireless transceiver circuit a transmitted key that was sent by a remote source to that mobile voice communication device.

Claims

1. A mobile voice communication device comprising:

a wireless transceiver circuit for transmitting and receiving voice communications and for receiving data;

a digital processor; and

a memory storing application program code which when executed on the digital processor causes the mobile voice communication device to provide predetermined functionality to the user of the mobile voice communication device, said predetermined functionality having basic features and having enhanced features that are in addition to the basic features, said application program code having a deactivated state in which the mobile voice communication device provides said basic features to the user without providing said enhanced features and an activated state in which the mobile voice communication device provides the enhanced features, and wherein toggling between the deactivated and activated states is accomplished by receiving through the wireless transceiver circuit a transmitted key that was sent by a remote source to that mobile voice communication device.

2. The mobile voice communication device of claim 1, wherein the mobile voice communication device is a cellular telephone.

3. The mobile voice communication device of claim 1, wherein the predetermined functionality that is provided by the application program code is speech recognition.

4. The mobile voice communication device of claim 1, wherein the transmitted key is an activation key that switches the application program code from the deactivated state to the activated state.

5. The mobile voice communication device of claim 1 wherein the transmitted key uniquely identifies the selected device among the plurality of wireless communication devices.

6. A method for generating revenue comprising:

establishing an account for each of a plurality of wireless voice communication devices, wherein on each of said wireless communication devices there is an application program for providing predetermined functionality for that wireless communication device, said predetermined functionality including basic features and also including enhanced features that are in addition to the basic features, said application program having a deactivated state in which the wireless voice communication device provides the basic features to a user of the device without providing the enhanced features and an activated state in which the wireless voice communication device provides the enhanced features to the user;

selecting one of the plurality of wireless communication devices on which to switch the application program from a first state to a second state, wherein the first state is one of the activated state and the deactivated state and the second state is the other of the activated state and the deactivated state;

transmitting a key to the selected device, said key for causing the application program in the wireless communication device to switch from the first state to the second state; and

after the key is sent to the selected device, billing the account for the features provided by the second state.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the predetermined functionality that is provided by the application program is speech recognition.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the first state is the activated state and the second state is the deactivated state.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

prior to selecting one of the plurality of wireless communication devices on which to send the key, sending a message to the selected device for notifying a user that the enhanced features are available after a trial period for a fee.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein the first state is the deactivated state and the second state is the activated state.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the key is an activation key that uniquely identifies the selected device among the plurality of wireless communication devices.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein billing involves periodically billing the entity for having access to the enhanced features while the enhanced features are activated.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

prior to selecting one of the plurality of wireless communication devices on which to activate the enhanced functionality, sending a message to that device providing notification of the availability of the enhanced features for a fee.

14. A method for generating revenue comprising:

establishing an account for each of a plurality of wireless voice communication devices, wherein on each of said wireless communication devices there is an application program for providing predetermined functionality for that wireless communication device, said predetermined functionality having basic features and also having enhanced features that are in addition to the basic features, said application program having a deactivated state in which the wireless voice communication device provides the basic features to a user of the device without providing the enhanced features and an activated state in which the wireless voice communication device provides the enhanced features;

selecting one of the plurality of wireless communication devices on which to switch the application program from the deactivated state to the activated state;

transmitting an activation key to the selected device, said activation key for causing the application program in the wireless communication device to switch from the deactivated state to the activated state; and

after the enhanced features are activated in the selected device, billing the account for that device for the enhanced features.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the predetermined functionality that is provided by the application program is speech recognition.