Remote Activation of a User Account in a Telecommunication Network

• US 20080242267A1
• Filed: 10/26/2006
• Published: 10/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Gemalto SA (Thales SA)
• Original Assignee: Axalto SA (Thales SA)
• Inventors: Cheung, Wilson, Soni, Chintan, Teng, John
• Application Number:
  US12/092,619
• Publication Number:
  US 20080242267A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/411
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/715 Activating new subscriber or card
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/00 Prepayment of wireline communication systems, wireless communication systems or telephone systems using a coded card to authorise calls from a telephone set H04M1/675
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/2026 Wireless network, e.g. GSM, PCS, TACS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7027 Activate new subscriber or card
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

The invention relates to a personal token (20) storing a temporary account (32) identifier and a permanent account (34) identifier, said token storing and running a set of instructions for disabling said temporary account identifier and activating said permanent account identifier, characterized in that the set of instructions comprises instructions for controlling the personal token (20) into collecting and sending personal information concerning the user by means of the terminal (10) to a remote telecommunication system (30,40) before disabling said temporary account (32) identifier and activating said permanent account (34) identifier.

Claims

1. A method for activating a user account in a mobile telecommunication network, said method comprising the following steps:

a) providing a personal token storing a temporary account identifier and a permanent account identifier, said token being associated with a mobile terminal,

b) providing a remote telecommunication system supporting said temporary account and able to support said permanent account,

c) connecting said personal token to the network using said temporary account identifier,

d) disabling said temporary account and activating said permanent account for future connections between the personal token and the remote telecommunication system, wherein the method further comprises;

the intermediary step which consists of the personal token collecting and sending personal information about the user by means of the terminal to the remote telecommunication system before performing step d).

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the personal token implements an application which questions the user about his personal information and prepares a message to the attention of the remote telecommunication system.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method comprises the step which consists in checking whether the user'"'"'s personal information is valid before performing step d).

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein step d) further comprises:

the remote telecommunication system sending a message to the personal token which message allows the personal token to replace the temporary account identifier by the permanent account identifier as active identifier in the personal token.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein step d) further comprises:

the remote telecommunication system replacing the temporary account by the permanent account as the active account attached to the personal token.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method includes the intermediary step of the personal token sending by means of the terminal an identifier of a retailer where the token has been obtained to the remote telecommunication system before performing step d).

7. The method according to anyone of claims 1 to 6, wherein the personal information about the user includes an information item selected from the group consisting of name, social security number, passport number, drivers license number, date of birth.

8. A personal token storing a temporary account identifier and a permanent account identifier, said token storing and running a set of instructions for disabling said temporary account identifier and activating said permanent account identifier, wherein the set of instructions comprises instructions for controlling the personal token into collecting and sending personal information about the user by means of the terminal to a remote telecommunication system before disabling said temporary account identifier and activating said permanent account identifier.

9. The personal token according to claim 8, wherein the personal token stores and runs an application which encompasses said instructions for collecting and sending personal information about the user to the remote telecommunication system by means of the terminal.

10. The personal token according to claim 8, wherein the personal token stores and runs instructions for identifying incoming SMS as allowing the token to replace the temporary account identifier by the permanent account identifier as the active identifier in the personal token.

11. The personal token according to claim 8, wherein the personal token stores and runs instructions for sending by means of the terminal, an identifier of a retailer where the token has been obtained, to the remote telecommunication system before disabling said temporary account identifier and activating said permanent account identifier.

12. The personal token according to claim 8, wherein the personal token stores and runs instructions for collecting and sending by means of the terminal personal information about the user, the personal information about the user pertains to the group consisting of name, social security number, passport number, drivers license number, date of birth.

13. A remote telecommunication system in a mobile telecommunication network, the remote telecommunication system supporting a temporary account attached to at least one personal token associated with a mobile terminal in the network and being able to support a permanent account attached to said personal token the remote telecommunication system including:

an authority entity which receives personal information about a user of said personal token by means of a message originating from said personal token, which checks validity of the personal information about the user, and which provides allowance as to

replacement of an identifier of the temporary account by an identifier of the permanent account in the personal token in case the personal information about the user turns out to be valid.

14. The remote telecommunication system according to claim 13, wherein the remote telecommunication system stores and runs a set of instructions for sending a message to the personal token via the terminal in case the personal information about the user turns out to be valid, which message entitles the personal token to replace the temporary account identifier by the permanent account identifier in the token.