Port Initiated Number Gateway

• US 20110207463A1
• Filed: 02/22/2010
• Published: 08/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Zoeckler, Dennis L., Granda, Shawn F.
• Granted Patent: US 8,452,271 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/439
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/30 by measured or perceived connection quality data

Abstract

The described method and system enables a telematic operator to determine a connectivity standing of devices requiring a port change from one wireless carrier to another. In particular, a modem initiates a call to each affected mobile directory number (MDN) and verifies connectivity to the correct vehicle using a telematic authentication encrypted key with appropriate verification of the stored MIN, electronic serial number (ESN), and station ID (STID). The list of verified devices of good connectivity is used to facilitate the MIN change to those telematic devices whereby a higher probability of success is most likely to occur. Moreover, by distinguishing devices most likely to commit a MIN port on the first attempt, a potential impact population whereby success is not likely is also developed, so that further appropriate scrutiny or action can be executed for problematic devices.

Claims

1. A method of porting a plurality of wireless subscriber devices from one carrier to another comprising:

receiving a request to port wireless subscriber devices from a first carrier to a second carrier;

compiling a register of affected devices;

assigning a replacement MIN to each affected device, wherein each device is associated with an existing MIN and the replacement MIN for each device differs from the existing MIN for that device;

producing a batch MIN list which identifies the affected devices and the associated replacement MIN for each affected device;

transferring the batch MIN list to a telematics operator to initiate a port initiated number gateway process to generate a batch processing coordination schedule, wherein the batch processing coordination schedule identifies devices of the affected devices that are considered to have a high likelihood of successful connection; and

executing a batch device number change in an order defined by the batch processing coordination schedule.

2. The method of porting a plurality of wireless subscriber devices from one carrier to another according to claim 1, wherein the request to port wireless subscriber devices from a first carrier to a second carrier corresponds to an acquisition by the second carrier of a wireless spectrum associated with the first carrier.

3. The method of porting a plurality of wireless subscriber devices from one carrier to another according to claim 1, wherein the step of assigning a replacement MIN to each affected device comprises executing an automated MIN assignment process based on identities of the affected devices and an identification of available MINs.

4. The method of porting a plurality of wireless subscriber devices from one carrier to another according to claim 3, wherein available MINs are identified by one or more MIN ranges.

5. The method of porting a plurality of wireless subscriber devices from one carrier to another according to claim 1, wherein executing a batch device number change in an order defined by the batch processing coordination schedule comprises:

attempting to connect to each affected device identified in the batch processing coordination schedule;

with respect to each device for which the attempt to connect is successful, changing the MIN associated with the device from the associated existing MIN to the associated replacement MIN; and

with respect to each device for which the attempt to connect is not successful, executing a remedial process with respect to the device.

6. The method of porting a plurality of wireless subscriber devices from one carrier to another according to claim 5, wherein executing a remedial process with respect to the device comprises periodically repeating the step of attempting to connect to the device.

7. The method of porting a plurality of wireless subscriber devices from one carrier to another according to claim 5, wherein executing a remedial process with respect to the device comprises adding an identifier for the device to a list of devices requiring further action.

8. The method of porting a plurality of wireless subscriber devices from one carrier to another according to claim 1, wherein the batch processing coordination schedule includes only devices that have been contacted and verified via an existing MIN, an electronic serial number, and a station ID.

9. The method of porting a plurality of wireless subscriber devices from one carrier to another according to claim 1, wherein a portion of the plurality of wireless subscriber devices are telematics devices associated with respective vehicles.

10. A method of altering a MIN of each of a plurality of wireless subscriber devices comprising:

assigning a replacement MIN to each device, wherein each device is associated with an existing MIN and the replacement MIN for each device differs from the existing MIN for that device;

identifying a subset of the plurality of wireless subscriber devices that have a high likelihood of successful connection; and

connecting to each of the subset of devices, to the exclusion of others of the plurality of wireless subscriber devices and replacing the existing MIN of each such device with the replacement MIN assigned to the device.

11. The method of altering a MIN of each of a plurality of wireless subscriber devices according to claim 10, wherein identifying a subset of the plurality of wireless subscriber devices that have a high likelihood of successful connection comprises:

attempting wireless contact with each device; and

for each device for which the attempted contact is successful, identifying the contacted device as having a high likelihood of successful connection.

12. The method of altering a MIN of each of a plurality of wireless subscriber devices according to claim 11, wherein attempting wireless contact with each device further comprises verifying an identity of each contacted device by the existing MIN, an electronic serial number, and a station ID associated with the device.

13. The method of altering a MIN of each of a plurality of wireless subscriber devices according to claim 10, wherein the step of replacing the existing MIN of each such device with the replacement MIN assigned to the device comprises executing an automated MIN assignment process based on identities of the affected devices and an identification of available MINs.

14. The method of altering a MIN of each of a plurality of wireless subscriber devices according to claim 13, wherein available MINs are identified by one or more MIN ranges.

15. The method of altering a MIN of each of a plurality of wireless subscriber devices according to claim 10, wherein replacing the existing MIN of each such device with the replacement MIN assigned to the device comprises:

attempting to connect to each device in the subset of the plurality of wireless subscriber devices that have a high likelihood of successful connection;

with respect to each device for which the attempt to connect is successful, changing the MIN associated with the device from the associated existing MIN to the associated replacement MIN if the attempt to connect to the device is successful; and

with respect to each device for which the attempt to connect is not successful, executing a remedial process with respect to the device.

16. The method of altering a MIN of each of a plurality of wireless subscriber devices according to claim 15, wherein executing a remedial process with respect to the device comprises periodically repeating the step of attempting to connect to the device.

17. The method of altering a MIN of each of a plurality of wireless subscriber devices according to claim 15, wherein executing a remedial process with respect to the device comprises adding an identifier for the device to a list of devices requiring further action.

18. The method of altering a MIN of each of a plurality of wireless subscriber devices according to claim 10, wherein a portion of the plurality of wireless subscriber devices are telematics devices associated with respective vehicles.

19. A method of executing a data change with respect to a large number of wireless devices comprising:

determining a connectivity of each wireless device;

compiling a list including a subset of the wireless devices ranked by connectivity; and

contacting each device wirelessly in an order determined by the device'"'"'s connectivity rank to execute a change of data with respect to that device.

20. The method of executing a data change with respect to a large number of wireless devices according to claim 19, wherein each wireless device is a telematics unit associated with a vehicle.