Method and apparatus for carrier customization in communication systems

• US 20060135144A1
• Filed: 11/14/2005
• Published: 06/22/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Jothipragasam, Premkumar
• Granted Patent: US 7,636,333 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/419
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42289 with carrierprovider selection by subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/205 Transfer to or from user equipment or user record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/22 Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/245 from a network towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A method of customizing a wireless device to a predetermined configuration is described. A wireless device configured with at least one carrier-specific parameter for a first carrier is modified to access at least one carrier-specific parameter for a second carrier during operation of the wireless device and responsive to a predetermined network switch input received by the wireless device. A carrier customization module system for a wireless device includes a carrier customization module loader executed by the wireless device which is configured with at least one carrier-specific parameter for a first carrier. The loader selects at least one carrier-specific parameter for a second carrier from among one or more carrier-specific parameters during operation of the wireless device and responsive to a predetermined network switch input received by the wireless device. The loader modifies the wireless device to access the second carrier using the selected carrier-specific parameter for the second carrier.

Claims

1. A method of customizing a wireless device to a predetermined configuration, comprising:

modifying a wireless device configured with at least one carrier-specific parameter for a first carrier to access at least one carrier-specific parameter for a second carrier during operation of the wireless device and responsive to a predetermined network switch input received by the wireless device.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

configuring the wireless device based on at least one carrier-specific parameter to connect with a first carrier prior to said modifying step.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

connecting the modified wireless device to the second carrier responsive to a predetermined connection input received by the wireless device.

4. A method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the predetermined connection input is at least one of a user input and a wireless device-generated input.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the predetermined network switch input comprises at least one of a user input, a carrier-specific input, and a wireless device-generated input.

6. A method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the wireless device-generated input is detection by the wireless device of a geographic change.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one carrier-specific parameter comprises at least one of wireless device-specific features and carrier-specific features.

8. A method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the wireless device-specific features include display parameters, carrier network determination parameters, dialing feature parameters, and user interface parameters.

9. A method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the carrier-specific features include voice parameters, messaging parameters, and data parameters.

10. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wireless device includes at least one carrier-specific profile including the at least one carrier-specific parameter.

11. A method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the modifying step comprises selecting from among one or more carrier-specific profiles.

12. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the modifying step comprises obtaining at least one carrier-specific parameter for the second carrier over a connection established between the wireless device and the first carrier.

13. A memory or a computer-readable medium storing instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the method of customizing a wireless device as claimed in claim 1.

14. A wireless device processor configured to perform the method of customizing a wireless device as claimed in claim 1.

15. A carrier customization module system for a wireless device, comprising:

a carrier customization module loader executed by a wireless device configured with at least one carrier-specific parameter for a first carrier arranged to;

(a) select at least one carrier-specific parameter for a second carrier from among one or more carrier-specific parameters during operation of the wireless device and responsive to a predetermined network switch input received by the wireless device; and

(b) modify the wireless device to access the second carrier using the selected carrier-specific parameter for the second carrier.

16. A wireless device for connection with a communication carrier, comprising:

a computer platform arranged to communicate with a first carrier based on a carrier-specific profile including carrier-specific parameters;

a carrier customization module loader resident on the computer platform and arranged to (a) select at least one carrier-specific parameter from among one or more carrier-specific parameters during operation of the wireless device and (b) configure the computer platform to access a second carrier using the selected carrier-specific parameter on the computer platform.

17. A wireless device as claimed in claim 16, comprising:

a carrier customization module (CCM) resident on the computer platform including at least one carrier-specific profile including at least one carrier-specific parameter.

18. A wireless device as claimed in claim 17, wherein the CCM includes a plurality of carrier-specific profiles.

19. A carrier customization module system for a wireless device for connecting with a communication carrier, comprising:

means for storing at least one carrier-specific parameter for a first carrier to which the wireless device connects; and

means for selecting at least one carrier-specific parameter for a second carrier from among one or more carrier-specific parameters during operation of the wireless device and modifying the wireless device for accessing the second carrier using the selected carrier-specific parameter for the second carrier, and further arranged to be responsive to a predetermined network switch input.

20. A method of providing a carrier-specific parameter for a first carrier to a wireless device configured with at least one carrier-specific parameter for a second carrier, comprising:

transmitting at least one carrier-specific parameter for a first carrier from a server to a wireless device responsive to receipt of a request for the at least one carrier-specific parameter from the wireless device.

21. A method as claimed in claim 20, further comprising:

storing a plurality of carrier-specific parameters for the second carrier at the server prior to said transmitting step.

22. A method as claimed in claim 20, wherein the server includes at least one carrier-specific profile including the at least one carrier-specific parameter and further comprising:

selecting at least one carrier-specific profile for the second carrier from among two or more carrier-specific profiles stored at the server prior to said transmitting step and responsive to receipt of a request for at least one carrier-specific profile from the wireless device.

23. A method as claimed in claim 20, further comprising:

authenticating the wireless device prior to said transmitting step.

24. A memory or a computer-readable medium storing instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the method of providing a carrier-specific parameter for a first carrier to a wireless device configured with at least one carrier-specific parameter for a second carrier as claimed in claim 20.

25. A wireless device processor configured to perform the method of providing a carrier-specific parameter for a first carrier to a wireless device configured with at least one carrier-specific parameter for a second carrier as claimed in claim 20.

26. A first carrier server for providing a carrier-specific parameter for the first the to a wireless device configured with at least one carrier-specific parameter for a second carrier, comprising:

a data storage component arranged to be executed by a computer platform and storing at least one carrier-specific parameter for the first carrier; and

the computer platform arranged to (a) communicate with the wireless device using an established connection between the wireless device and the second carrier and (b) transmit at least one carrier-specific parameter for the first carrier from a server to the wireless device responsive to receipt of a request for the at least one carrier-specific parameter from the wireless device.