Method and apparatus for after-market vending of feature-provisioning software to third party mobile wireless communication devices

• US 20060143264A1
• Filed: 12/23/2004
• Published: 06/29/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Research In Motion Limited (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: Johnson, Kerry W., Oerton, Kevin J., Payne, Susan
• Granted Patent: US 7,917,133 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/123 Shopping for digital content
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3552 Downloading or loading of personalisation data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/16 for devices exhibiting advertisements, announcements, pictures or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/245 from a network towards a terminal

Abstract

After market vending of feature-provisioning software to qualified third party mobile wireless communication devices is facilitated by providing a joint software vending machine website capable of authenticating the device and wireless service provider and downloading and activating only software appropriate to that particular user device and wireless network service provider. The exemplary system provides device/user qualification and/or authentication as well as device provisioning for mobile wireless communication devices that may be manufactured by different vendors for different purposes and serviced by different wireless network service providers via a wireless infrastructure which includes a communication data relay service provider.

Claims

1. A method for selectively vending feature-provisioning software to qualified mobile wireless communication devices manufactured by a first party but serviced by at least one other party including a wireless service provider, said method comprising:

maintaining an internet website having access to at least one down-loadable feature provisioning software;

providing download access control software for use by a device user to access and use said website;

authenticating said mobile wireless communication device by data exchanges with said website as a qualified user device suitable and authorized for receiving said feature-provisioning software,

providing qualified suitable feature-provisioning software at stated prices for selection by a device user;

effecting monetary payment for the user-selected feature-provisioning software by data exchanges with said website; and

if authenticated and monetary payment has been received, downloading the qualified user-selected feature-provisioning software via the internet.

2. A method as in claim 1 further comprising:

providing download provisioning software in said mobile wireless communication device and using such provisioning software to accept further downloading of the purchased feature-provisioning software from a user base unit to which the feature-provisioning software was previously downloaded from said website.

3. A method as in claim 1 wherein said authenticating step includes use of user device identification number (UDIN) data that is unique to the particular mobile wireless communication device requesting a download of said feature-provisioning software.

4. A method as in claim 1 wherein said at least one other party includes a communication data relay service provider and said software is jointly developed and/or owned by said communication data relay service provider and at least one further party from the group consisting of said wireless service provider and said first party.

5. A method as in claim 1 wherein respective subsets of said mobile wireless communication devices are manufactured by each of a plurality of respective first parties.

6. A method as in claim 5 wherein said at least one other party includes plural wireless service providers.

7. A method as in claim 6 wherein said at least one other party includes a single communication data relay service provider interfacing with each of said plural wireless service providers.

8. A method for vending feature-provisioning software to qualified mobile wireless communication devices manufactured by a first party but jointly serviced by other parties including at least one wireless service provider and a communication data relay service provider, said method comprising:

maintaining an internet website having access to at least one down-loadable feature provisioning software jointly developed and/or owned by said first party and at least said communication data relay service provider;

providing download access control software for use by a device user PC base unit to access said website via a user PC base unit that has (a) access to said website and (b) a wired connector for connection to a mobile wireless communication device;

authenticating said mobile wireless communication device by data exchanges between said website and said user PC base unit as a qualified user device;

effecting monetary payment for user-selected feature-provisioning software by data exchanges between said website and said user PC base unit; and

if authenticated and monetary payment has been received, downloading the requested feature-provisioning software to said qualified user PC base unit via the internet.

9. A method as in claim 8 further comprising:

providing download provisioning software in said mobile wireless communication device and using such provisioning software to accept further downloading of the purchased feature-provisioning software from said user PC base unit.

10. A method as in claim 8 wherein said authenticating step includes use of user device identification number (UDIN) data that is unique to the particular mobile wireless communication device requesting a download of said feature-provisioning software.

11. A method as in claim 8 wherein plural down-loadable feature provisioning software are accessible at respectively associated prices at said website thereby providing a vending machine type of choice for a device user as to which such features are to be purchased and downloaded.

12. A system for selectively vending feature-provisioning software qualified to mobile wireless communication devices manufactured by a first party but serviced by at least one other party including a wireless service provider, said system comprising:

an internet website having access to at least one down-loadable feature provisioning software;

download access control software disposed for use by a device user to access and use said website;

means for authenticating said mobile wireless communication device by data exchanges with said website as a qualified user device suitable and authorized for receiving said feature-provisioning software;

qualified suitable feature-provisioning software accessible at stated prices on said website for selection by a device user;

means for effecting monetary payment by data exchanges with said website for user-selected feature-provisioning software; and

means for downloading qualified user-selected feature-provisioning software via the internet if the requesting user device has been authenticated and monetary payment has been received.

13. A system as in claim 12 further comprising:

download provisioning software disposed in said mobile wireless communication device to accept further downloading of the purchased feature-provisioning software from a user base unit to which the feature-provisioning software was previously downloaded from said website.

14. A system as in claim 12 wherein said means for authenticating uses user device identification number (UDIN) data that is unique to the particular mobile wireless communication device requesting a download of said feature-provisioning software.

15. A system as in claim 12 wherein said at least one other arty includes a communication data relay service provider and said software is jointly developed and/or owned by said communication data relay service provider and at least one further party from the group consisting of said wireless service provider and said first party.

16. A system as in claim 12 wherein respective subsets of said mobile wireless communication devices are manufactured by each of a plurality of respective first parties.

17. A system as in claim 16 wherein said at least one other party includes plural wireless service providers.

18. A system as in claim 17 wherein said at least one other party includes a single communication data relay service provider interfacing with each of said plural wireless service providers.

19. A system for vending feature-provisioning software to qualified mobile wireless communication devices manufactured by a first party but jointly serviced by other parties including at least one wireless service provider and a communication data relay service provider, said system comprising:

an internet website having access to at least one down-loadable feature provisioning software jointly developed and/or owned by said first party and at least said communication data relay service provider;

download access control software disposed for use by a device user PC base unit to access said website via a user PC base unit that has (a) access to said website and (b) a wired connector for connection to a mobile wireless communication device;

means for authenticating said mobile wireless communication device by data exchanges between said website and said user PC base unit as a qualified user device;

means for effecting monetary payment by data exchanges between said website and said user PC base unit for user-selected feature-provisioning software; and

means for downloading the requested feature-provisioning software to said qualified user PC base unit via the internet if the requesting user device has been authenticated and monetary payment has been received.

20. A system as in claim 19 further comprising:

download provisioning software disposed in said mobile wireless communication device to accept further downloading of the purchased feature-provisioning software from said user PC base unit.

21. A system as in claim 19 wherein said means for authenticating uses of user device identification number (UDIN) data that is unique to the particular mobile wireless communication device requesting a download of said feature-provisioning software.

22. A system as in claim 19 wherein plural down-loadable feature provisioning software are accessible at respectively associated prices at said website thereby providing a vending machine type of choice for a device user as to which such features are to be purchased and downloaded.

23. A machine readable medium on which is disposed at least one computer program which, when executed by at least one suitable computer, will effect a method for selectively vending feature-provisioning software to qualified mobile wireless communication devices manufactured by a first party but serviced by at least one other party including a wireless service provider, said method comprising:

maintaining an internet website having access to at least one down-loadable feature provisioning software;

providing download access control software for use by a device user to access and use said website;

authenticating said mobile wireless communication device by data exchanges with said website as a qualified user device suitable and authorized for receiving said feature-provisioning software;

providing qualified suitable feature-provisioning software at stated prices for selection by a device user;

effecting monetary payment for the user-selected feature-provisioning software by data exchanges with said website; and

if authenticated and monetary payment has been received, downloading the qualified user-selected feature-provisioning software via the internet.

24. A machine readable medium as in claim 23 further comprising computer program software:

providing download provisioning software in said mobile wireless communication device and using such provisioning software to accept further downloading of the purchased feature-provisioning software from a user base unit to which the feature-provisioning software was previously downloaded from said website.

25. A machine readable medium as in claim 23 wherein said authenticating step includes use of user device identification number (UDIN) data that is unique to the particular mobile wireless communication device requesting a download of said feature-provisioning software.

26. A machine readable medium as in claim 23 wherein said at least one other party includes a communication data relay service provider and said software is jointly developed and/or owned by said communication data relay service provider and at least one further party from the group consisting of said wireless service provider and said first party.

27. A machine readable medium as in claim 23 wherein respective subset s of said mobile wireless communication devices are manufactured by each of a plurality of respective first parties.

28. A machine readable medium as in claim 27 wherein said at least one other party includes plural wireless service providers.

29. A machine readable medium as in claim 28 wherein said at least one other party includes a single communication data relay service provider interfacing with each of said plural wireless service providers.

30. A machine readable medium on which is stored at least one computer program which, when executed by at least one suitable computer, will effect a method for vending feature-provisioning software to qualified mobile wireless communication devices manufactured by a first party but jointly serviced by other parties including at least one wireless service provider and a communication data relay service provider, said method comprising:

maintaining an internet website having access to at least one down-loadable feature provisioning software jointly developed and/or owned by said first party and at least said communication data relay service provider;

providing download access control software for use by a device user PC base unit to access and use said website via a user PC base unit that has (a) access to said website and (b) a wired connector for connection to a mobile wireless communication device;

authenticating said mobile wireless communication device by data exchanges between said website and said user PC base unit as a qualified user device; and

if authenticated and monetary payment has been received, downloading the requested feature-provisioning software to said qualified user PC base unit via the internet.

31. A machine readable medium as in claim 30 further comprising:

providing download provisioning software in said mobile wireless communication device and using such provisioning software to accept further downloading of the purchased feature-provisioning software from said user PC base unit.

32. A machine readable medium as in claim 30 wherein said authenticating step includes use of user device identification number (UDIN) data that is unique to the particular mobile wireless communication device requesting a download of said feature-provisioning software.

33. A machine readable medium as in claim 30 wherein plural down-loadable feature provisioning software are accessible at respectively associated prices at said website thereby providing a vending machine type of choice for a device user as to which such features are to be purchased and downloaded.