Automated transfer of wireless provisioning parameters between existing and new devices

• US 20090037207A1
• Filed: 08/02/2007
• Published: 02/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Services Incorporated (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Services Incorporated (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Farah, Jeffrey J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,244,223 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/301
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/103 Workflow collaboration or project management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/205 Transfer to or from user equipment or user record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/265 for initial activation of new user

Abstract

A method, computer program, apparatus and system that permits provisioning information and service account authorization on a wireless network to be transferred from an existing wireless device to a new wireless device by operation of the wireless devices. The method includes transferring provisioning information from the existing wireless device to the new wireless device; establishing a communication link with the wireless network; sending a service transfer request from the existing wireless device to the wireless network; and, in response to the transfer request, activating the new wireless device for service on the network.

Claims

1. A method for operating a wireless network to facilitate transfer by the user of an existing wireless device to a new wireless device of network service using an existing service account with the wireless network service provider, comprising:

receiving from the existing wireless device having the existing service account a request to transfer service under the account to a new wireless device, and

transferring the existing service account from the existing wireless device to a new wireless device to which information relating to the service account has been transferred by the user.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the information relating to the service account that has been transferred to the new wireless device includes the access number of the existing device.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising, before transferring the service account:

receiving from the existing wireless device a service account security identifier, and

receiving from the existing wireless device a unique identifier of the new wireless device.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:

establishing a communications link over the wireless network between the existing wireless device and the new wireless device for transfer of information.

5. A method as claimed in claim 4 further comprising:

transferring over the network communications link information including at least one of the existing device'"'"'s access number, pictures, address book, music and data files.

6. A method as claimed in claim 3 further comprising:

before transferring the service account, receiving from the new wireless device the security identifier of the service account for the existing wireless device.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:

in response to the transfer request, deactivating the existing wireless device for service on the wireless network.

8. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the wireless network service provider stores a service plan profile in a database associated with a unique identifier of a wireless device, and further comprising:

in response to the transfer request, changing the association for the wireless network database service plan profile from the unique identifier of the existing wireless device to the unique identifier of the new wireless device.

9. A method as claimed in claim 8 wherein the unique identifier of the new wireless device is one of an ESN, a MAC, or an IP address.

10. A method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:

after receiving the service transfer request, searching for new capabilities of the new wireless device associated with its unique identifier, and

proposing to the new wireless device changes to the service plan to correspond to detected new capabilities.

11. A method as claimed in claim 10 wherein the unique identifier of the new wireless device is one of an ESN, a MAC, or an IP address, and the new capabilities of the new wireless device associated with its unique identifier include at least one of image recording, video recording, music storage, and Internet connectivity.

12. A method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:

downloading a service transfer program from the wireless network to at least one of the existing wireless device and the new wireless device.

13. A wireless communications computer program product for operating a wireless network to facilitate transfer by the user of an existing wireless device to a new wireless device of network service using an existing service account with the wireless network service provider comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied in said medium, said computer readable program code means comprising:

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to receive from the existing wireless device having the existing service account a request to transfer service under the account to a new wireless device, and

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to transfer the existing service account from the existing wireless device to a new wireless device to which information relating to the service account has been transferred by the user.

14. A wireless communications computer program product as claimed in claim 13 wherein the information relating to the service account that has been transferred to the new wireless device includes the access number of the existing device.

15. A wireless communications computer program product as claimed in claim 13 further comprising:

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to receive from the existing wireless device a service account security identifier before transferring the account, and

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to receive from the existing wireless device a unique identifier of the new wireless device before transferring the account.

16. A wireless communications computer program product as claimed in claim 13 further comprising:

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to establish a communications link over the wireless network between the existing wireless device and the new wireless device for transfer of information.

17. A wireless communications computer program product as claimed in claim 16 wherein the information transferred over the network communications link includes information comprising at least one of the existing device'"'"'s access number, pictures, address book, music and data files.

18. A wireless communications computer program product as claimed in claim 15 further comprising:

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to receive from the new wireless device the security identifier of the service account for the existing wireless device before transferring the account.

19. A wireless communications computer program product as claimed in claim 13 further comprising:

computer readable program code means for causing a computer, in response to the transfer request, to deactivate the existing wireless device for service on the wireless network.

20. A wireless communications computer program product as claimed in claim 13 wherein the wireless network service provider stores a service plan profile in a database associated with a unique identifier of a wireless device and further comprising:

computer readable program code means for causing a computer, in response to the transfer request, to change the wireless network database association for the service plan profile from the unique identifier of the existing wireless device to the unique identifier of the new wireless device.

21. A wireless communications computer program product as claimed in claim 20 wherein the unique identifier of the new wireless device is one of an ESN, a MAC, or an IP address.

22. A wireless communications computer program product as claimed in claim 13 further comprising:

computer readable program code means for causing a computer, after receiving the service transfer request, to search for new capabilities of the new wireless device associated with its unique identifier and to propose to the new wireless device changes to the service plan to correspond to detected new capabilities.

23. A wireless communications computer program product as claimed in claim 22 wherein the unique identifier of the new wireless device is one of an ESN, a MAC, or an IP address, and the new capabilities of the new wireless device associated with its unique identifier include at least one of image recording, video recording, music storage, and Internet connectivity.

24. A wireless communications computer program product as claimed in claim 13 further comprising:

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to download a service transfer program from the wireless network to at least one of the existing wireless device and the new wireless device.

25. A wireless network adapted to facilitate transfer by the user of an existing wireless device to a new wireless device of network service using an existing service account with the wireless network service provider, comprising:

means for receiving from the existing wireless device having the existing service account a request to transfer service under the account to a new wireless device, and

means for transferring the existing service account from the existing wireless device to a new wireless device to which information relating to the service account has been transferred by the user.

26. A wireless network as claimed in claim 25 wherein the information relating to the service account that has been transferred by the user to the new wireless device includes the access number of the existing device.

27. A wireless network as claimed in claim 25 further comprising:

means for receiving from the existing wireless device, prior to transfer, a service account security identifier, and

means for receiving from the existing wireless device, prior to transfer, a unique identifier of the new wireless device.

28. A wireless network as claimed in claim 25 further comprising:

means for establishing a communications link over the wireless network between the existing wireless device and the new wireless device for transfer of information.

29. A wireless network as claimed in claim 28 wherein the information transferred over the network communications link includes information comprising at least one of the existing device'"'"'s access number, pictures, address book, music and data files.

30. A wireless network as claimed in claim 27 further comprising:

means for receiving from the new wireless device, prior to transfer, the security identifier of the service account for the existing wireless device.

31. A wireless network as claimed in claim 25 further comprising:

means responsive to the transfer request for deactivating the existing wireless device for service on the wireless network.

32. A wireless network as claimed in claim 25 wherein the wireless network service provider stores a service plan profile in a database associated with a unique identifier of a wireless device, and further comprising:

means responsive to the transfer request for changing the association for the wireless network database service plan profile from the unique identifier of the existing wireless device to the unique identifier of the new wireless device.

33. A wireless network as claimed in claim 32 wherein the unique identifier of the new wireless device is one of an ESN, a MAC, or an IP address.

34. A wireless network as claimed in claim 25 further comprising:

means for searching for new capabilities of the new wireless device associated with its unique identifier, and

means for proposing to the new wireless device changes to the service plan to correspond to detected new capabilities.

35. A wireless network as claimed in claim 34 wherein the unique identifier of the new wireless device is one of an ESN, a MAC, or an IP address, and the new capabilities of the new wireless device associated with its unique identifier include at least one of image recording, video recording, music storage, and Internet connectivity.

36. A wireless network as claimed in claim 25 further comprising:

means for downloading a service transfer program from the wireless network to at least one of the existing wireless device and the new wireless device.

37. A wireless communications computer program product for operating an existing wireless device to provision a new wireless device for service on a wireless network comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied in said medium, said computer readable program code means comprising:

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to send a unique identifier for the new wireless device from the existing wireless device,

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to transfer information relating to the service account from the existing wireless device to the new wireless device, and

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to send to the wireless network service provider a request for service account transfer from the existing wireless device to the new wireless device.

38. A wireless communications computer program product as claimed in claim 37 further comprising:

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to send to the wireless network service provider a service account security identifier.

39. A wireless communications computer program product as claimed in claim 37 further comprising:

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to prompt for entry of the unique identifier for the new wireless device,

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to send the unique identifier to the new wireless device,

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to receive an acknowledgment from the new wireless device of receipt of the unique identifier,

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to prompt for transfer of information to the new wireless device,

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to receive acknowledgment from the new wireless device of receipt of information, and

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to prompt for a request for service transfer from the existing wireless device to the new wireless device.

40. A wireless communications computer program product as claimed in claim 37 further comprising:

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to provide a menu of provisioning information to be selected by the user of the existing wireless device for transfer.

41. A wireless communications computer program product as claimed in claim 40 wherein the menu of provisioning information to be selected for transfer includes at least one of an access number for the existing device, pictures, address book, music and data files.