Method and system for simplifying activation of a device and a device activated acccording to such method

• US 20040236590A1
• Filed: 02/18/2004
• Published: 11/25/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke KPN NV
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke KPN NV
• Inventors: Visser, Michael Maria
• Application Number:
  US10/487,159
• Publication Number:
  US 20040236590A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/016 After-sales
• 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 8/265 for initial activation of new user

Abstract

The invention pertains to a method and a system for simplifying the activation of an obtained device. This simplification is accomplished by coupling pre-existing details of users to a network identifier of the obtained device. In this way the charging for services used by the user can take place in a simple way, and the user interface of the obtained device can be personalized.

Claims

1. Method for simplifying the activation of an obtained device to allow a user to take services from a service provider by coupling a network identifier of the obtained device to details of the user already known before the activation.

2. Method according to claim 1, whereby the simplification concerns payment for services taken by the user from the service provider, with such payment taking place by means of a pre-existing independent payment relationship as known to exist prior to the obtained device being used to take services from the service provider, and by coupling the network identifier of the obtained device to the user'"'"'s details recorded in the pre-existing payment relationship.

3. Method according to claim 2, whereby the independent payment relationship already exists with the service provider as a result of a previously obtained device usable to take services from the service provider and for which payment takes place via this payment relationship.

4. Method according to claim 3, whereby the service provider receives the user'"'"'s details and the network identifier of the obtained device, enabling services taken from the service provider by the user by means of the obtained device to be paid for via the pre-existing payment relationship based on the previously obtained device.

5. Method according to claim 2, whereby the independent payment relationship exists with a third party who is independent of the service provider.

6. Method according to claim 5, whereby the third party receives the user'"'"'s details and the network identifier of the obtained device and the third party indicates to the service provider that payment for services the user takes from the service provider by means of the obtained device with this network identifier will take place via the pre-existing payment relationship with the third party.

7. Method according to claim 5, whereby the service provider receives the user'"'"'s details and the network identifier of the obtained device, and the service provider indicates to the third party that payment for the services the user takes from the service provider by means of the obtained device will take place via the pre-existing payment relationship with the third party.

8. Method according to claim 5, whereby the third party is a second service provider, independent of the service provider, from whom the user takes services by means of a previously obtained device.

9. Method according to claim 5, whereby some of the services the user takes from the service provider by means of the obtained device are paid for by means of the pre-existing payment relationship, and other services via a second pre-existing payment relationship.

10. Method according to claim 9, whereby payment for some of the services paid for via the pre-existing payment relationship and others paid for via a second pre-existing payment relationship is based on a breakdown between private use and business use of the obtained device.

15. Method according to claim 1, whereby the simplification concerns the configuration of a user interface of the obtained device and the services to be taken with it via a network, on the basis of a preferred user profile known before activation of the device, including at least the following steps:

receiving via the network the network identifier of the obtained device on activation of the device;

coupling in a database of the service provider of the network identifier of the obtained device to the details of the user;

coupling in a database of the user'"'"'s details to the preferred profile;

sending to the obtained device via the network the preferred profile together with the network identifier, so as to configure the user interface of the obtained device in accordance with the user'"'"'s preferences.

18. Device for which the user interface and the services to be taken with the device are configured according to the method of claim 15.

11. System for simplifying activation of an obtained device to allow the user to take services from a service provider, consisting of means for coupling a network identifier of the obtained device to details of the user already known prior to activation.

12. System according to claim 11 for payment of services taken by a user from a service provider by means of the obtained device, consisting of means for making such payment via an independent pre-existing payment relationship known prior to the services being taken, and means for coupling a network identifier of the obtained device to details of the user recorded in the pre-existing payment relationship.

13. System according to claim 12, whereby means exist for paying for some of the services taken by the user from the service provider via the pre-existing payment relationship and other services being paid for by means of a second pre-existing payment relationship.

16. System according to claim 11, whereby the simplification concerns the configuration of a user interface of the obtained device and the services to be taken with it, on the basis of a preferred profile of the user known prior to activation of the device, including at least:

a network to which at least the obtained device with a network identifier and a server are connected;

means for receiving, via the network, the network identifier of the obtained device on activation of such device;

a database containing at least the personal details and preferred profile of the user that are accessible by means of the network identifier of the obtained device;

means for sending, via the network, the preferred profile to the obtained device with the network identifier.

17. System according to claim 16, whereby the network over which the obtained device takes services is a different network to the one via which the obtained device is configured.

19. Device for which the user interface and the services to be taken with the device are configured according to the system described in claim 16.

20. Device for which the user interface and the services to be taken with the device are configured according to the system described in claim 17.

14. Device for which the user pays for services taken from a service provider by means of a pre-existing payment relationship, because a coupling exists between the user'"'"'s details recorded in the pre-existing payment relationship and a network identifier of the device.