System and Method for Activating Services on a Wireless Device

• US 20090061839A1
• Filed: 08/27/2008
• Published: 03/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TracFone Wireless, Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: TracFone Wireless, Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Salzman, Richard B., Zimmerman, James P., Ramon, Ricardo, Kozma, Paul B., Rodriguez, Jesus
• Granted Patent: US 8,107,953 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/419
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42136 Administration or customisation of services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/22 Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/265 for initial activation of new user

Abstract

A system and method for activating services on a wireless device are provided that improve a user'"'"'s experience and ease of activation/provisioning of services for the wireless device by providing a new provisioning channel for service activations. A user is simply required to input a short activation code(s) into the wireless device which is combined into an activation message along with other device-related information that is automatically retrieved from the wireless device. The generated activation message is then transmitted over the messaging provisioning channel accessible by inactive and/or unprovisioned wireless devices for delivery to a remote site for use in activating services on the wireless device. The services to be activated may include at least one of the following: out of the box activation, device upgrades, device reactivations, wireless number changes, wireless number porting, and the addition or purchasing of services including airtime, enrollments or content.

Claims

1. A method for activating services on a wireless device, the method comprising:

receiving at least one code input into the wireless device to be used for activating services on the wireless device;

automatically retrieving device-related information from the wireless device;

generating an activation message including the input code and the device-related information; and

transmitting the activation message over a provisioning channel accessible by inactive wireless devices for delivery to a remote site for use in activating services on the wireless device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless device is initially inactive and the services to be activated include initial activation of the wireless device for its intended use.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the provisioning channel accessible by the inactive wireless devices comprises an Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) channel.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising establishing an activation session over the USSD channel for transmitting the activation message.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the provisioning channel is selected from a group consisting of a Short Message Service (SMS) messaging channel and a Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) messaging channel.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one input code comprises a short alphanumerical code independent of the wireless device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the input code is a zip code.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the automatically retrieved device-related information includes a serial number for the wireless device and a serial number for a subscriber identity module (SIM) card installed in the wireless device that is automatically retrieved from a SIM card memory.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein services requested to be activated include at least one of device upgrades, device reactivations, wireless number changes, wireless number porting, and the addition or purchasing of services including airtime, enrollments or content.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the activation message is a Mobile Originating Provisioning Request (MOPR) message.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the activation message is encrypted.

12. A wireless device comprising:

an input device for allowing the input of an activation code used for activating services on the wireless device;

a subscriber identity module (SIM) card having a SIM card memory for storing at least a SIM card serial number;

a memory for storing at least a device serial number;

a processor coupled to the input device, the SIM card and the memory, and configured to collect the activation code, the SIM card serial number and the device serial number, and generate an activation message having at least the activation code, the SIM card serial number and the device serial number; and

a transceiver coupled to the processor and configured to transmit the activation message over a provisioning channel available to inactive wireless devices for delivery to a remote site for requesting activation of services on the wireless device.

13. The wireless device of claim 12, wherein the wireless device is initially inactive and the services to be activated include initial activation of the wireless device for its intended use.

14. The wireless device of claim 12, wherein the activation code is a zip code.

15. The wireless device of claim 12, wherein the activation code comprises a short alphanumerical code independent of the wireless device.

16. The wireless device of claim 12, wherein the provisioning channel is an Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) channel.

17. The wireless device of claim 12, wherein the provisioning channel is selected from a group consisting of a Short Message Service (SMS) messaging channel and a Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) messaging channel.

18. The wireless device of claim 12, wherein services requested to be activated include at least one of device upgrades, device reactivations, wireless number changes, wireless number porting, and the addition or purchasing of services including airtime, enrollments or content.

19. The wireless device of claim 12, wherein the activation message is a Mobile Originating Provisioning Request (MOPR) message.

20. The wireless device of claim 12, wherein the activation message is encrypted.

21. A method for activating a wireless device, the method comprising:

receiving an activation message transmitted from the wireless device over a provisioning channel accessible to inactive wireless devices, the activation message including a user-provided activation code and device-related information automatically collected from the wireless device to be activated; and

forwarding the activation message to a service provider provisioning system to initiate service activation.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the wireless device is initially inactive and the services to be activated include initial activation of the wireless device for its intended use.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the provisioning channel is selected from a group consisting of a Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) channel, a Short Message Service (SMS) messaging channel and a Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) messaging channel.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the user-provided activation code comprises a short alphanumerical code independent of the wireless device.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein the user-provided activation code is a zip code.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein the device-related information includes a serial number for the wireless device and a serial number for a subscriber identity module (SIM) card installed in the wireless device that is automatically retrieved from a SIM card memory.

27. The method of claim 21, wherein services requested to be activated include at least one of device upgrades, device reactivations, wireless number changes, wireless number porting, and the addition or purchasing of services including airtime, enrollments or content.

28. The method of claim 21, wherein the activation message is a Mobile Originating Provisioning Request (MOPR) message.

29. The method of claim 21, wherein the activation message is encrypted.

30. A wireless telecommunication system for activating a wireless device comprising:

a transceiver configured to receive an activation message transmitted from the wireless device over a provisioning channel accessible to inactive wireless devices, the activation message including a user-provided activation code and device-related information automatically collected from the wireless device to be activated; and

a processor configured to process the activation message for initiating service activation.

31. The wireless telecommunication system of claim 30, wherein the processor forwards the activation message to a service provider provisioning system for initiating service activation.

32. The wireless telecommunication system of claim 30, wherein the wireless device is initially inactive and the services to be activated include initial activation of the wireless device for its intended use.

33. The wireless telecommunication system of claim 30, wherein the user-provided activation code comprises a short alphanumerical code independent of the wireless device.

34. The wireless telecommunication system of claim 30, wherein the user-provided activation code is a zip code.

35. The wireless telecommunication system of claim 30, wherein the device-related information includes a serial number for the wireless device and a serial number for a subscriber identity module (SIM) card installed in the wireless device that is automatically retrieved from a SIM card memory.

36. The wireless telecommunication system of claim 30, wherein services requested to be activated include at least one of device upgrades, device reactivations, wireless number changes, wireless number porting, and the addition or purchasing of services including airtime, enrollments or content.

37. The wireless telecommunication system of claim 30, wherein the provisioning channel is selected from a group consisting of a Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) channel, a Short Message Service (SMS) messaging channel and a Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) messaging channel.

38. The wireless telecommunication system of claim 30, wherein the activation message is a Mobile Originating Provisioning Request (MOPR) message.

39. The wireless telecommunication system of claim 30, wherein the activation message is encrypted.

40. A subscriber provisioning system for activating a wireless device comprising:

a server configured to;

receive an activation message from a wireless carrier system, the activation message including a user-provided activation code and device-related information automatically collected from the wireless device to be activated; and

process the activation message for initiating service activation.

41. The subscriber provisioning system of claim 40, further comprising establishing a real time activation session between the subscriber provisioning system and the wireless device over a messaging channel for performing activation services for the wireless device.

42. The subscriber provisioning system of claim 41, wherein the messaging channel is an Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) channel.

43. The subscriber provisioning system of claim 40, wherein the wireless device is initially inactive and the services to be activated include initial activation of the wireless device for its intended use.

44. The subscriber provisioning system of claim 40, wherein the user-provided activation code comprises a short alphanumerical code independent of the wireless device.

45. The subscriber provisioning system of claim 40, wherein the user-provided activation code is a zip code.

46. The subscriber provisioning system of claim 40, wherein the device-related information includes a serial number for the wireless device and a serial number for a subscriber identity module (SIM) card installed in the wireless device that is automatically retrieved from a SIM card memory.

47. The subscriber provisioning system of claim 40, wherein services requested to be activated include at least one of device upgrades, device reactivations, wireless number changes, wireless number porting, and the addition or purchasing of services including airtime, enrollments or content.

48. The subscriber provisioning system of claim 40, wherein the activation message is a Mobile Originating Provisioning Request (MOPR) message.

49. The subscriber provisioning system of claim 40, wherein the activation message is encrypted.