APPARATUS, AND ASSOCIATED METHOD, FOR PROVIDING ENTERPRISE-CONTROLLED VOICE SERVICES TO WIRELESS DEVICES

• US 20100151841A1
• Filed: 10/26/2009
• Published: 06/17/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Original Assignee: Research In Motion Limited (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: METCALF, DOUGLAS DEAN, MCDONALD, IAN J., HEIT, DAVID LLOYD, PANEZIC, ALAN TOM, MISASI, JAMES
• Granted Patent: US 8,798,586 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/414.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42178 by downloading data to substation equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/205 Transfer to or from user equipment or user record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/245 from a network towards a terminal

Abstract

An apparatus, and an associated methodology, provides control over operation of a voice-only, cellular mobile phone by an enterprise. An enterprise server provides selection of the operating capabilities of the voice-only wireless device. Once selected, the wireless device is caused to be provisioned to operate in conformity with the selected policy. Rather than sole control of the operational capability of the wireless device by a network operator, i.e., carrier, control of some operational capabilities of the device is carried out directly by enterprise personnel.

Claims

1. An enterprise managed server for facilitating enterprise management of wireless devices, said apparatus comprising:

an enterprise provisioning selector configured to select when to provision a wireless device of a first group of wireless devices to operate pursuant to a voice-only service tier; and

a provisioning controller configured, responsive to selection by said enterprise provisioning selector, to cause provisioning of the wireless device with an enterprise policy that defines voice service capabilities.

2. The enterprise managed server of claim 1 further comprising a mailbox identified by a mailbox identity and wherein wireless devices of the first group are all associated with the mailbox.

3. The enterprise managed server of claim 2 wherein said mailbox comprises an IMAP, Internet Message Access Protocol, mailbox having an IMAP identity.

4. The enterprise managed server of claim 2 wherein said enterprise provisioning selector is configured to monitor the mailbox for an activation request.

5. The enterprise managed server of claim 1 wherein said provisioning controller is further configured to cause wireless device provisioning with a security functionality.

6. The enterprise managed server of claim 1 wherein said provisioning controller is further configured to cause wireless-device provisioning with tracking functionality.

7. The enterprise managed server of claim 1 wherein said provisioning controller is further configured to cause wireless-device call logging.

8. The enterprise managed server of claim 1 wherein said provisioning controller is further configured to cause wireless-device activation.

9. A method for managing wireless devices using an enterprise managed server, said method comprising:

associating wireless devices to one of a first service tier and a second service tier, wherein the first service tier is a voice-only service tier;

causing provisioning of at least one wireless device associated with the first service tier to operate in conformity with an enterprise policy that defines voice service capabilities.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said associating further comprises detecting delivery of a wireless-device request for provisioning.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the enterprise policy is controlled by personnel of an enterprise.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein said voice service capabilities further comprises a character-limited message capability.

13. An apparatus for a wireless device managed by an enterprise, said apparatus comprising:

a provisioning message detector configured to detect an enterprise-originated provisioning message that identifies an enterprise policy defining voice-only service capabilities; and

a provisioner configured to provision the wireless device to operate in conformity with the voice-only service capabilities.

14. A method for facilitating operation of a wireless device managed by an enterprise, said method comprising:

detecting an enterprise-originated provisioning message that identifies an enterprise policy defining a selected voice-only service capability; and

provisioning the wireless device to operate in conformity with the enterprise policy identified in the provisioning message.