System and method for porting a personalized indicium assigned to a mobile communications device

• US 20060111039A1
• Filed: 11/24/2004
• Published: 05/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Research In Motion Limited (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: Lewis, Allan David, Plumb, Marc, Godfrey, James, Whittington, Graeme, Little, Herb A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,957,726 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/8
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/36 Repeater circuits H04B3/58 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/18 between terminal devices

Abstract

In one embodiment, a scheme is provided for porting a personalized indicium, i.e., a Personal Information Number or PIN, from a first mobile communications device to a second mobile communications device. Upon receiving identity information from the first mobile communications device via a secure peer-to-peer communication session, the second mobile communications device is operable to negotiate with a network node using at least a portion of the received identity information for reassigning the PIN to an identifier associated therewith. Upon successfully porting the PIN to the second mobile communications device, a service provisioning database is accordingly updated.

Claims

1. A method for porting a personalized indicium from a first mobile communications device to a second mobile communications device, comprising:

transferring identity information from said first mobile communications device to said second mobile communications device, said first mobile communications device'"'"'s personalized indicium comprising a Personal Information Number (PIN) that is mapped to an identifier associated therewith; and

negotiating by said second mobile communications device with a network node using at least a portion of said identity information for reassigning said PIN to an identifier associated with said second mobile communications device.

2. The method for porting a personalized indicium as recited in claim 1, wherein said network node is operable with a wireless packet data service network comprising one of a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) network, an Enhanced Data Rates for Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) Evolution (EDGE) network, a 3^rd Generation (3G) network, an Integrated Digital Enhanced Network (IDEN), a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) network and a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) network.

3. The method for porting a personalized indicium as recited in claim 1, wherein said identifier associated with one of said first and second mobile communications devices comprises at least one of an International Mobile station Equipment Identity (IMEI) parameter, an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) parameter, an Electronic Serial Number (ESN) parameter and a Mobile Identification Number (MIN) parameter.

4. The method for porting a personalized indicium as recited in claim 1, wherein said identity information is transferred from said first mobile communications device to said second mobile communications device using a peer-to-peer communication session upon said second mobile communications device obtaining a temporary PIN associated therewith.

5. The method for porting a personalized indicium as recited in claim 4, further comprising:

determining if said temporary PIN is identical to a PIN used by another mobile communications device; and

if so, terminating said step of transferring said identity information to said second mobile communications device.

6. The method for porting a personalized indicium as recited in claim 5, further comprising effectuating an acknowledgment process between said first and second mobile communications devices upon completion of transferring said identity information.

7. The method for porting a personalized indicium as recited in claim 5, wherein said identity information comprises a first PIN authentication key generated by said first mobile communications device.

8. The method for porting a personalized indicium as recited in claim 7, wherein said step of negotiating with said network node comprises issuing a command that includes said PIN, said first PIN authentication key and a second PIN authentication key generated by said second mobile communications device.

9. The method for porting a personalized indicium as recited in claim 8, wherein said network node is operable to associate said PIN with said identifier of said second mobile communications device.

10. The method for porting a personalized indicium as recited in claim 9, wherein said network node is operable to discard said PIN'"'"'s mapping to said first mobile communications device'"'"'s identifier upon a successful registration by said second mobile communications device.

11. The method for porting a personalized indicium as recited in claim 10, further comprising updating of a service provisioning database associated with said network node.

12. A network system for porting a personalized indicium from a first mobile communications device to a second mobile communications device, comprising:

means for transferring identity information from said first mobile communications device to said second mobile communications device, said first mobile communications device'"'"'s personalized indicium comprising a Personal Information Number (PIN) that is mapped to an identifier associated therewith; and

means for negotiating by said second mobile communications device with a network node using at least a portion of said identity information for reassigning said PIN to an identifier associated with said second mobile communications device.

13. The network system for porting a personalized indicium as recited in claim 12, wherein said network node is operable with a wireless packet data service network comprising one of a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) network, an Enhanced Data Rates for Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) Evolution (EDGE) network, a 3^rd Generation (3G) network, an Integrated Digital Enhanced Network (IDEN), a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) network and a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) network.

14. The network system for porting a personalized indicium as recited in claim 12, wherein said identifier associated with one of said first and second mobile communications devices comprises at least one of an International Mobile station Equipment Identity (IMEI) parameter, an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) parameter, an Electronic Serial Number (ESN) parameter and a Mobile Identification Number (MIN) parameter.

15. The network system for porting a personalized indicium as recited in claim 12, wherein said means for transferring said identity information comprises means for effectuating a secure peer-to-peer communication session between said first and second mobile communications devices upon said second mobile communications device obtaining a temporary PIN associated therewith.

16. The network system for porting a personalized indicium as recited in claim 15, further comprising:

means for determining if said temporary PIN is identical to a PIN used by another first mobile communications device; and

means for terminating said step of transferring said identity information to said second mobile communications device, provided that said temporary PIN is determined to be identical to said PIN.

17. The network system for porting a personalized indicium as recited in claim 16, further comprising means for effectuating an acknowledgment process between said first and second mobile communications devices upon completion of transferring said identity information.

18. The network system for porting a personalized indicium as recited in claim 16, wherein said identity information comprises a first PIN authentication key generated by said first mobile communications device.

19. The network system for porting a personalized indicium as recited in claim 18, wherein said means for negotiating with said network node comprises means for issuing a command that includes said PIN, first PIN authentication key and a second PIN authentication key generated by said second mobile communications device.

20. The network system for porting a personalized indicium as recited in claim 19, wherein said network node is operable to associate said PIN with said identifier of said second mobile communications device.

21. The network system for porting a personalized indicium as recited in claim 20, wherein said network node is operable to discard said PIN'"'"'s mapping to said first mobile communications device'"'"'s identifier upon a successful registration by said second mobile communications device.

22. The network system for porting a personalized indicium as recited in claim 21, further including means for updating a service provisioning database associated with said network node.

23. A mobile communications device, comprising:

logic means operable to engage in a communication session with another mobile communications device having a personalized indicium comprised of a Personal Information Number (PIN), wherein said PIN is mapped to an identifier relating to said another mobile communications device; and

logic means operable for negotiating with a network node using at least a portion of identity information received from said another mobile communications device for reassigning said PIN to an identifier associated with said mobile communications device.

24. The mobile communications device as recited in claim 23, wherein said network node is operable with a wireless packet data service network comprising one of a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) network, an Enhanced Data Rates for Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) Evolution (EDGE) network, a 3^rd Generation (3G) network, an Integrated Digital Enhanced Network (IDEN), a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) network and a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) network.

25. The mobile communications device as recited in claim 23, wherein said identifier associated with one of said mobile communications device and said another mobile communications device comprises at least one of an International Mobile station Equipment Identity (IMEI) parameter, an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) parameter, an Electronic Serial Number (ESN) parameter and a Mobile Identification Number (MIN) parameter.

26. The mobile communications device as recited in claim 23, further comprising logic means operable to generate a temporary PIN for registration with said network node.

27. The mobile communications device as recited in claim 23, further comprising logic means for effectuating an acknowledgment process with said another mobile communications devices upon completion of receiving said identity information.

28. The mobile communications device as recited in claim 23, wherein said identity information comprises a first PIN authentication key generated by said another mobile communications device.

29. The mobile communications device as recited in claim 28, further comprising logic means operable to generate a second PIN authentication key.

30. The mobile communications device as recited in claim 29, wherein said logic means for negotiating with said network node comprises logic for issuing a command that includes said PIN, said first PIN authentication key and a second PIN authentication key generated by said mobile communications device.

31. The mobile communications device as recited in claim 30, further comprising logic means for registering with said network node using said PIN ported from said another mobile communications device.