Control software for unlocking relocking cellular telephones

• US 20100136960A1
• Filed: 10/08/2009
• Published: 06/03/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tionesta, Llc
• Original Assignee: Pymatuning Communications
• Inventors: Knezevic, Ivan
• Granted Patent: US 8,195,140 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/418
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/126 the source of the received data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/10 Integrity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/35 Protecting application or service provisioning, e.g. securing SIM application provisioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/71 Hardware identity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/20 Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

Cellular telephone handsets often include electronic or software coding that “locks” them to a specific wireless network. Provided herein, is a method for provisioning locked handsets by unlocking them from their established network and relocking them on a new cellular network. The handset is connected in communication with the control process, identified, and provisioned. The method allows for provisioning of multiple models and brands to be provisioned from different carriers and to different carriers. It further allows multiple handsets to be provisioned simultaneously. During the process, the handset may be sensitivity tested. Further, the identification portion of the method can be used in conjunction with phone support tools beyond the provisioning process.

Claims

1. A system for allowing users to universally reprovision wireless devices, comprising:

a computer system comprising a computer server and a plurality of computer PC terminals connected in a network with said server;

a communication cable connectible between a first of said terminals and a wireless device of any of more than ten different makes of wireless devices, said cable including a power conductor for conveying a battery recharging current from said terminal to said wireless device;

said computer system being programmed to perform a method for reprovisioning any of said makes of wireless devices, the method comprising;

controlling said PC terminal to scan its communication ports for said wireless device;

identifying said wireless device by sampling at least two of a group of identifying electronically readable characteristics of said wireless device in order to determine a digital signature of said wireless device, wherein said digital signature is made up of a combination of said wireless device'"'"'s identifying electronically readable characteristics taken from a list that includes at least two of the firmware name, firmware version, hardware version, firmware release date, hardware release date, hardware build date, name of firmware bin file, ESN, hardware brand, hardware model, MEID, MDN, MIN1, and MIN2;

matching the identified wireless device to a group of settings that match said identified wireless device;

allowing said user to choose a new carrier from a group of potential carriers;

verifying settings for said new carrier and said wireless device from model settings;

comparing RF signals of said wireless device to a calibration wireless device in order to qualify the wireless device;

modifying settings of said wireless device so as to electronically unlock said wireless device;

reconfiguring parameters of said wireless device so as to electronically enable said wireless device to access a wireless network of said new carrier; and

generating a report reflecting whether said wireless device qualified and containing the success or failure of said provisioning.

2. A computer-readable medium containing instructions for controlling a computer system for allowing a user to provision a wireless handset by:

controlling a PC to scan its communication ports for said handset;

sampling at least two of the identifying electronically readable characteristics of said handset in order to determine the digital signature of said handset, wherein said digital signature is made up of a combination of said handset'"'"'s identifying electronically readable characteristics taken from a list that includes at least two of the firmware name, firmware version, handset version, firmware release date, handset release date, handset build date, name of firmware bin file, ESN, handset brand, handset model, MEID, MDN, MIN1, and MIN2;

matching the identified handset to a group of settings that match said identified handset;

allowing said user to choose a new carrier from a group of potential carriers;

verifying settings for said new carrier and said handset from model settings;

comparing RF signals of said handset to a calibration handset;

modifying settings of said handset so as to electronically unlock said handset from an old carrier;

loading parameters of said handset so as to electronically lock said handset to said new carrier; and

generating a report containing the success or failure of said provisioning.

3. An article of manufacture comprising:

a computer useable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein for allowing a user to provision a handset, the computer readable program code means in said article of manufacture comprising;

computer readable program code means for causing a PC to scan its communication ports for said handset;

computer readable program code means for causing sampling at least two of the identifying electronically readable characteristics of said handset in order to determine the digital signature of said handset, wherein said digital signature is made up of a combination of said handset'"'"'s identifying electronically readable characteristics taken from a list that includes at least two of the firmware name, firmware version, handset version, firmware release date, handset release date, handset build date, name of firmware bin file, ESN, handset brand, handset model, MEID, MDN, MIN1, and MIN2;

computer readable program code means for causing the matching of the identified handset to a group of settings that match said identified handset;

computer readable program code means for causing said user to be allowed to choose a new carrier from a group of potential carriers;

computer readable program code means for causing the verification of settings for said new carrier and said handset from model settings;

computer readable program code means for causing the comparing of RF signals of said handset to a calibration handset;

computer readable program code means for causing the modifying of settings of said handset so as to electronically unlock said handset from an old carrier;

computer readable program code means for causing the loading of parameters of said handset so as to electronically lock said handset to said new carrier; and

computer readable program code means for causing the generation of a report containing the success or failure of said provisioning.