Over the air provisioning of mobile device settings

• US 20050079863A1
• Filed: 10/08/2003
• Published: 04/14/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SITO Mobile R&D IP, LLC
• Original Assignee: Anthony G. Macaluso
• Inventors: Macaluso, Anthony G.
• Granted Patent: US 7,565,141 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/419
• 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 for providing services to a mobile device, the method comprising:

receiving a request from the mobile device for mobile service subscription options;

sending data to the mobile device relating to mobile service subscription options, wherein the subscription options are sent to the mobile device over a wireless communication path and the subscription options are for selection by a user of the mobile device;

receiving a selection of at least one subscription option from the mobile device over the wireless communication path; and

activating a service corresponding to the at least one selected subscription option in response to the selection.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the request for mobile subscription options from the mobile device comprises an activation request.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the mobile device comprises a mobile phone.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the mobile device is capable of operation with a plurality of service providers.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the data relating to mobile subscription options comprises an identification of a plurality of available service providers and the selection of at least one subscription option comprises an identification of a selected service provider.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the available service providers comprise mobile virtual network operators.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein activating a service comprises sending data representing at least one setting for the mobile device, with the data being sent over the wireless communication path.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the at least one setting allows the mobile device to obtain service from the selected service provider.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the at least one setting comprises a preferred roaming list.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein the data relating to mobile subscription options and the data representing at least one setting for the mobile device are adapted for use on a Binary Runtime Environment for Wireless (BREW) platform on the mobile device.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein the data relating to mobile subscription options and the data representing at least one setting for the mobile device are adapted for use on a Java platform on the mobile device.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the data relating to mobile subscription options comprises an identification of a plurality of available service plans.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein activating a service comprises selecting settings data associated with the selected subscription option from stored respective sets of settings data associated with each of the mobile services subscriptions options.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the settings data comprises a preferred roaming list selected from a plurality of preferred roaming lists.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the method is performed by a server remote from and in wireless communication with the mobile device.

16. A method of provisioning settings for a mobile device, the method comprising:

receiving information associating a mobile device with a particular service;

identifying settings data associated with the particular service from a database containing settings data for a plurality of services; and

sending settings data for the particular service to the mobile device over a wireless communication link, wherein the settings data is configured to change operational settings for the mobile device.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the particular service comprises a mobile voice communication service associated with a specific service provider.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the settings data comprises a preferred roaming list for the specific service provider.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the settings data identifies operational settings that, when installed on the mobile device, enable the mobile device to access the particular service provided by the specific service provider.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein the particular service is offered by a mobile virtual network operator.

21. The method of claim 16 wherein the application on the mobile device is adapted for use on a Binary Runtime Environment for Wireless (BREW) platform on the mobile device.

22. The method of claim 16 wherein the application on the mobile device is adapted for use on a Java platform on the mobile device.

23. The method of claim 16 wherein the plurality of services comprises a plurality of mutually exclusive mobile communication services and the database of settings data stores settings data for each of the mutually exclusive mobile communication services.

24. A mobile device comprising:

a transceiver operable to communicate over a wireless communication link;

at least one memory storing an address of a server that stores settings data associated with at least one mobile service and storing client software for an application execution environment, wherein the at least one memory is operable to store at least one application that is executable on the client software and that includes instructions for communicating with the server at the stored address, receiving settings data, and storing the received settings data in the at least one memory; and

a processor coupled to the transceiver and the at least one memory, wherein the processor is operable to execute the at least one stored application and to control communications by the transceiver.

25. The mobile device of claim 24 wherein the server comprises an application download server.

26. The mobile device of claim 24 wherein the client software comprises Binary Runtime Environment for Wireless (BREW) client software.

27. The mobile device of claim 26 wherein the at least one application is adapted for execution by the BREW client software.

28. The mobile device of claim 24 wherein the client software comprises Java virtual machine software.

29. The mobile device of claim 24 wherein the received settings data comprises settings that enable wireless communications using a particular service provider.

30. The mobile device of claim 29 further comprising a visual display, wherein the at least one application comprises instructions for causing the processor to:

retrieve a list of available service providers from the server;

display the list of available service providers on the visual display;

receive a user selection of a particular service provider; and

transmit an indication of the user selection from the transceiver to the server.

31. The mobile device of claim 24 further comprising a visual display, wherein the at least one application comprises instructions for causing the processor to:

retrieve a list of available service plans from the server;

display the list of available service plans on the visual display;

receive a user selection of a particular service plan; and

transmit an indication of the user selection from the transceiver to the server.

32. A system comprising:

an application download server storing mobile device settings for accessing services associated with at least one mobile service provider, wherein the application download server is operable to selectively send the mobile device settings to selected mobile devices for use in modifying the settings for each selected mobile device; and

a mobile communication system interface for connecting the application download server to a mobile communication system, wherein the mobile device settings are sent to the mobile device over a wireless communication link between the mobile device and the mobile communication system.

33. The system of claim 32 wherein the services associated with the at least one mobile service provider comprise wireless communication services.

34. The system of claim 33 wherein the mobile device settings comprise settings necessary to enable the mobile devices to access the wireless communication services for the at least one mobile service provider.

35. The system of claim 33 wherein the mobile device settings comprise a plurality of preferred roaming lists, with each preferred roaming list associated with a particular service provider.

36. The system of claim 35 wherein a preferred roaming list is sent to each mobile device, with the preferred roaming list corresponding to a selection of a service provider received through the mobile communication system interface from the mobile device.

37. The system of claim 33 wherein the at least one mobile service provider comprises a mobile virtual network operator.

38. The system of claim 33 wherein the application download server further stores applications for downloading to the mobile devices through the mobile communication system, with at least one of the applications comprising instructions for enabling a user to select a particular service provider from which to receive wireless communication services.

39. The system of claim 38 wherein the applications are adapted for execution on a Binary Runtime Environment for Wireless (BREW) platform.

40. The system of claim 32 wherein the mobile device settings comprise a software patch for one or more selected mobile devices.

41. The system of claim 32 wherein the mobile device settings comprise a telephone number.