Method and System for Tailoring WiMAX Device Provisioning Based on Device Capability Information Communicated to Network

• US 20080212503A1
• Filed: 03/01/2007
• Published: 09/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Clearwire Ip Holdings LLC (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: McGinniss, David S., Manning, Serge M., Lipford, Mark A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,050,242 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/310
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/24 Negotiation of communication capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/35 Protecting application or service provisioning, e.g. securing SIM application provisioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/24 Transfer of terminal data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/265 for initial activation of new user
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

Before a WiMAX-equipped device is distributed to an end-user, the manufacturer or distributor of the WiMAX-equipped device will record in the device a set of data that describes characteristics (e.g., type, features, capabilities, and limitations) of the device. When the end-user powers on the device or otherwise brings the device within the coverage of a service provider'"'"'s WiMAX base station, the device will then acquire radio connectivity, typically with the service provider authenticating the device'"'"'s WiMAX chipset. Thereafter, the device will engage in a first-time activation/service-provisioning session with a system operated by the service provider, and during that session, the device will provide the system with its device-characteristics data and the service provider will use that device-characteristics data as a basis to customize provisioning of service for the device based on the device'"'"'s features and capabilities.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving an authentication message over an air interface from a device having a wireless communication module for engaging in communication on the air interface;

after receiving the authentication message, authenticating the wireless communication module; and

after authenticating the wireless communication module, receiving from the device during a first-time activation session with the device a set of data specifying one or more features or capabilities of the device, and using the data as a basis to customize initial provisioning of service for the device based on the specified one or more features or capabilities of the device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication module comprises a WiMAX chipset.

3. The method of claim 2, carried out by a WiMAX service provider.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the authentication message carries an X.509 certificate for the wireless communication module, and wherein authenticating the wireless communication module comprises authenticating the wireless communication module by reference to the X.509 certificate.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the set of data from the device comprises receiving the set of data from the device within a service provisioning request message transmitted from the device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the service provisioning request message comprise an HTTP request message requesting service provisioning.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of data comprises an XML file stored on the device in advance.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the device is operated by an end-user, and wherein the XML file was written to the device before distribution of the device to the end-user.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more features or capabilities of the device comprise one or more user interface components possessed by the device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more features or capabilities of the device comprise at least one of (i) one or more hardware components of the device and (ii) one or more software components of the device.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more features or capabilities of the device comprise at least one of (i) a generic type of the device, (ii) one or more user interface components if any possessed by the device, (iii) capability of engaging in one or more particular types of communication, (iv) data storage if any possessed by the device, (v) an operating system if any installed on the device, (vi) one or more media codecs if any supported by the device, and (vii) one or more software applications if any installed on the device.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

after authenticating the wireless communication module, assigning an IP address to the device; and

engaging in the first-time activation session with the device, wherein engaging in the first-time activation session with the device comprises conducting the initial provisioning of service for the device.

13. The method of claim 12,

wherein conducting the initial provisioning of service for the device comprises correlating a service account with the device, for use in later serving the device, and

wherein using the data as a basis to customize the initial provisioning of service for the device based on the specified one or more features or capabilities of the device comprises using the one or more features or capabilities of the device as a basis to establish one or more service parameters for the service account.

14. The method of claim 12,

wherein the conducting the initial provisioning of service for the device comprises sending to the device a prompt for a user of the device to select one or more services to associate with a service account for the device, and

wherein using the data as a basis to customize the initial provisioning of service for the device based on the specified one or more features or capabilities of the device comprises using the one or more features or capabilities of the device as a basis to customize the prompt.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein using the one or more features or capabilities of the device as a basis to customize the prompt comprises:

selecting a mode of communication with the device based on the one or more features or capabilities; and

using the selected mode of communication to send the prompt to the device.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the mode comprises VoIP.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein using the data as a basis to customize initial provisioning of service for the device based on the specified one or more features or capabilities of the device comprises using the data as a basis to establish configuration data to provision on the device, and sending the configuration data to the device for storage on the device.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the configuration data comprises logic or data selected from the group consisting of (i) at least one application server network address, (ii) at least one identifier or security parameter usable to facilitate access to a network resource, (iii) program logic, (iv) buddy list data, and (v) media.

19. A method comprising:

receiving from a WiMAX chip manufacturer a certified WiMAX chipset;

manufacturing a device, including embedding the received WiMAX chipset in the device to enable the device to engage in wireless communication; and

storing on the device set of device-characteristics data describing one or more features or capabilities of the device, and programming the device to report the stored data to a network during first-time activation of the device so as to facilitate customized initial service provisioning of the device based on the one or more features and capabilities.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

distributing to an end-user the device having the embedded WiMAX chipset and the stored set of device-characteristics data.

21. An device having an embedded WiMAX chipset and a stored set of device-characteristics data indicating one or more features or capabilities of the device,

wherein after the WiMAX chipset detects a WiMAX network signal, the WiMAX chipset sends an authentication message wirelessly to facilitate network authentication of the WiMAX chipset, and

wherein, after network authentication of the WiMAX chipset, the device engages in an activation session with a network system to facilitate provisioning of service for the device, and the device transmits to the network system the device-characteristics data to enable the network system to customize provisioning of service for the device based on the one or more features or capabilities of the device.

22. The device of claim 21, wherein the one or more features or capabilities of the device comprise at least one of (i) a generic type of the device, (ii) one or more user interface components if any possessed by the device, (iii) capability of engaging in one or more particular types of communication, (iv) data storage if any possessed by the device, (v) an operating system if any installed on the device, (vi) one or more media codecs if any supported by the device, and (vii) one or more software applications if any installed on the device.