Methods and apparatus for auto-subscription in a network environment

• US 20060253882A1
• Filed: 05/27/2005
• Published: 11/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Walker, Gordon Kent, Chen, An Mei, Balraj, Sajith
• Granted Patent: US 8,745,653 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/86
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/30 Profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• 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: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for auto-subscription in a network environment. A method is provided that includes determining an affiliate associated with a device, and identifying a package associated with the affiliate. The method also includes generating system information parameters that identify the package, and transmitting the system information parameters to the device. The method also includes receiving a subscription request from the device, wherein the subscription request requests that the device be automatically subscribed to receive the package.

Claims

1. A method for operating a server in an automatic subscription system, the method comprising:

determining an affiliate associated with a device;

identifying a package associated with the affiliate;

generating system information parameters that identifies the package;

transmitting the system information parameters to the device; and

receiving a subscription request from the device, wherein the subscription request requests that the device be automatically subscribed to receive the package.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising activating the device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said transmitting further comprises transmitting an application to the device that comprises a subscription manager.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said generating comprises generating a package record as part of the system information parameters, wherein the package record indicates that the package is to be automatically subscribed to the device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said receiving comprises receiving the request from the device in a wireless communication.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the package comprises content or services.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the affiliate comprises one of a billing and customer service provider, content retailer, content provider, and service provider.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

subscribing the device to receive the package; and

transmitting the package to the device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said generating comprises:

determining that the package is to be excluded from the device; and

generating system information parameters that exclude the package from being automatically subscribed to by the device.

10. Apparatus for providing automatic subscriptions in a data network, the apparatus comprising:

logic that operates to determine an affiliate associated with a device;

logic that operates to identify a package associated with the affiliate;

logic that operates to generate system information parameters that identifies the package;

logic that operates to transmitting the system information parameters to the device; and

logic that operates to receive a subscription request from the device, wherein the subscription request requests that the device be automatically subscribed to receive the package.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising logic that operates to activate the device.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the logic that operates to transmit further comprises logic that operates to transmit an application to the device that comprises a subscription manager.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the logic that operates to generate comprises logic that operates to generate a package record as part of the system information parameters, wherein the package record indicates that the package is to be automatically subscribed to the device.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the logic that operates to receive comprises logic that operates to receive the request from the device in a wireless communication.

15. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the package comprises content or services.

16. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the affiliate comprises one of a billing and customer service provider, content retailer, content provider, and service provider.

17. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising:

logic to subscribe the device to receive the package; and

logic to transmit the package to the device.

18. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the logic that operates to generate comprise:

logic to determine that the package is to be excluded from the device; and

logic to generate system information parameters that exclude the package from being automatically subscribed to by the device.

19. Apparatus for providing automatic subscriptions in a data network, the apparatus comprising:

means for determining an affiliate associated with a device;

means for identifying a package associated with the affiliate;

means for generating system information parameters that identifies the package;

means for transmitting the system information parameters to the device; and

means for receiving a subscription request from the device, wherein the subscription request requests that the device be automatically subscribed to receive the package.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising means for activating the device.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the means for transmitting further comprises means for transmitting an application to the device that comprises a subscription manager.

22. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the means for generating comprises means for generating a package record as part of the system information parameters, wherein the package record indicates that the package is to be automatically subscribed to the device.

23. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the means for receiving comprises means for receiving the request from the device in a wireless communication.

24. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the package comprises content or services.

25. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the affiliate comprises one of a billing and customer service provider, content retailer, content provider, and service provider.

26. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising:

means for subscribing the device to receive the package; and

means for transmitting the package to the device.

27. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the means for generating comprise:

means for determining that the package is to be excluded from the device; and

means for generating system information parameters that exclude the package from being automatically subscribed to by the device.

28. A computer-readable media embodying means, which when executed by processing logic in a server, operate to provide automatic subscriptions in a data network, the computer-readable media comprising:

means for determining an affiliate associated with a device;

means for identifying a package associated with the affiliate;

means for generating system information parameters that identifies the package;

means for transmitting the system information parameters to the device; and

means for receiving a subscription request from the device, wherein the subscription request requests that the device be automatically subscribed to receive the package.

29. The computer-readable media of claim 28, further comprising means for activating the device.

30. The computer-readable media of claim 28, wherein the means for transmitting further comprise means for transmitting an application to the device that comprises a subscription manager.

31. The computer-readable media of claim 28, wherein the means for generating comprise means for generating a package record as part of the system information parameters, wherein the package record indicates that the package is to be automatically subscribed to the device.

32. The computer-readable media of claim 28, wherein the means for receiving comprise means for receiving the request from the device in a wireless communication.

33. The computer-readable media of claim 28, means for wherein the package comprises content or services.

34. The computer-readable media of claim 28, wherein the affiliate comprises one of a billing and customer service provider, content retailer, content provider, and service provider.

35. The computer-readable media of claim 28, further comprising:

means for subscribing the device to receive the package; and

means for transmitting the package to the device.

36. The computer-readable media of claim 28, further comprising:

means for determining that the package is to be excluded from the device; and

means for generating system information parameters that exclude the package from being automatically subscribed to by the device.

37. A method for operating a device in an automatic subscription system, the method comprising:

receiving system information parameters that identify a package;

processing the system information to generate an automatic subscription request; and

transmitting the automatic subscription request to the server, wherein the automatic subscription request requests that the device be automatically subscribed to receive the package.

38. The method of claim 37, further comprising:

activating the device with a server on a data network; and

activating comprises transmitting identifying information about the device to the server.

39. The method of claim 37, further comprising receiving an application that comprises a subscription manager.

40. The method of claim 39, further comprising executing the subscription manager to process the system information to generate the automatic subscription request.

41. The method of claim 37, further comprising receiving subscription for package.

42. Apparatus for operating a device in an automatic subscription system, the apparatus comprising:

logic that operates to receive system information parameters that identify a package;

logic that operates to process the system information to generate an automatic subscription request; and

logic that operates to transmit the automatic subscription request to the server, wherein the automatic subscription request requests that the device be automatically subscribed to receive the package.

43. The apparatus of claim 42, further comprising:

logic that operates to active the device with a server on a data network; and

logic that operates to activate comprises logic that operates to transmit identifying information about the device to the server.

44. The apparatus of claim 42, further comprising logic that operates to receive an application that comprises a subscription manager.

45. The apparatus of claim 44, further comprising logic that operates to execute the subscription manager to process the system information to generate the automatic subscription request.

46. The apparatus of claim 42, further comprising logic that operates to receive subscription for package.

47. Apparatus for operating a device in an automatic subscription system, the apparatus comprising:

means for receiving system information parameters that identify a package;

means for processing the system information to generate an automatic subscription request; and

means for transmitting the automatic subscription request to the server, wherein the automatic subscription request requests that the device be automatically subscribed to receive the package.

48. The apparatus of claim 47, further comprising:

means for activating the device with a server on a data network; and

means for activating comprises means for transmitting identifying information about the device to the server.

49. The apparatus of claim 47, further comprising means for receiving an application that comprises a subscription manager.

50. The apparatus of claim 49, further comprising means for executing the subscription manager to process the system information to generate the automatic subscription request.

51. The apparatus of claim 47, further comprising means for receiving subscription for package.

52. A computer-readable media embodying means, which when executed by processing logic in a device, operate to provide automatic subscriptions in a data network, the computer-readable media comprising:

means for receiving system information parameters that identify a package;

means for processing the system information to generate an automatic subscription request; and

means for transmitting the automatic subscription request to the server, wherein the automatic subscription request requests that the device be automatically subscribed to receive the package.

53. The computer-readable media of claim 52, further comprising:

means for activating the device with a server on a data network; and

wherein the instructions for activating comprise instructions for transmitting identifying information about the device to the server.

54. The computer-readable media of claim 52, further comprising means for receiving an application that comprises a subscription manager.

55. The computer-readable media of claim 54, further comprising means for executing the subscription manager to process the system information to generate the automatic subscription request.

56. The computer-readable media of claim 52, further comprising means for receiving subscription for package.