Wireless Network Service Interfaces

• US 20130065551A1
• Filed: 09/09/2011
• Published: 03/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Headwater Research LLC (Greg Raleigh)
• Original Assignee: Headwater Partners I LLC (Greg Raleigh)
• Inventors: Raleigh, Gregory G., Raissinia, Alireza, Lavine, James
• Granted Patent: US 8,626,115 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/405
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1403 Architecture for metering, charging or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5041 characterised by the time relationship between creation and deployment of a service
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0807 using tickets, e.g. Kerberos cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using tickets or tokens H04L9/3213
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/41 Billing record details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure of call data record [CDR]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/43 Billing software details
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/44 Augmented, consolidated or itemized billing statement or bill presentation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/49 Connection to several service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/53 using mediation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/80 Rating or billing plans; Tariff determination aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/12 Detection or prevention of fraud
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/126 Anti-theft arrangements, e.g. protection against subscriber identity module [SIM] cloning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/50 Secure pairing of devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/71 Hardware identity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/24 Negotiating SLA [Service Level Agreement]; Negotiating QoS [Quality of Service]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 : Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 : Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 : Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/20 : Selecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 : WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

A uniform wireless network service selection information exchange interface system is provided to facilitate a consistent user experience across multiple wireless networks that may have different service plan activation or service plan purchase processes. Network detection of service usage anomalies based on device-based data usage reports is provided to enable the network to determine whether an end-user device is likely operating in accordance with the established policy, or whether the end-user device may be operating fraudulently.

Claims

1-4. -4. (canceled)

5. A wireless network system configured to communicate with an end-user device over an access network, the wireless network system comprising a service plan selection interface configured to assist one or more device agents on the end-user device in modifying a service plan associated with the end-user device.

6. The wireless network system recited in claim 5, wherein the service plan selection interface is consistent across more than one network.

7. The wireless network system recited in claim 5, wherein the a service plan selection interface is further configured to allow the one or more device agents on the end-user device to obtain a catalog of one or more available service plan options.

16. The wireless network system recited in claim 7, wherein the catalog of one or more available service plan options includes a listing of one or more available service plans.

17. The wireless network system recited in claim 7, wherein the catalog of one or more available service plan options is based on a credential of the end-user device.

18. The wireless network system recited in claim 7, wherein the service plan is a first service plan, and wherein the catalog of one or more available service plan options includes an option to purchase a second service plan.

19. The wireless network system recited in claim 7, wherein the service plan is a first service plan, and wherein the catalog of one or more available service plan options includes an option to select a second service plan.

20. The wireless network system recited in claim 7, further comprising one or more processors configured to provide the catalog of one or more available service plan options to the one or more device agents on the end-user device.

21. The wireless network system recited in claim 7, further comprising one or more processors configured to obtain the catalog of one or more available service plan options from one or more network elements.

22. The wireless network system recited in claim 7, further comprising one or more processors configured to obtain a user response from the one or more device agents on the end-user device, the user response indicating a selection of one of the one or more available service plan options.

23. The wireless network system recited in claim 22, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to send a confirmation to the one or more device agents on the end-user device, the confirmation configured to assist the one or more device agents on the end-user device in presenting a service plan confirmation message through a user interface of the end-user device.

24. The wireless network system recited in claim 22, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to assist in provisioning one or more network elements based on the user response.

25. The wireless network system recited in claim 5, further comprising one or more processors configured to establish, in cooperation with the one or more device agents on the end-user device, a control link providing access to the service plan selection interface to the one or more device agents on the end-user device.

26. The wireless network system recited in claim 25, wherein the control link is secured by an encryption protocol and is configured to support control-plane communications between the one or more processors of the wireless network system and the one or more device agents on the end-user device.

27. The wireless network system recited in claim 5, wherein at least one of the one or more device agents on the end-user device comprises software.

28. The wireless network system recited in claim 5, wherein the service plan selection interface is configured to allow the one or more device agents on the end-user device to modify the service plan associated with the end-user device by:

providing one or more service plan options to the one or more device agents on the end-user device, and

receiving a service plan selection from the one or more device agents on the end-user device, the service plan selection indicating at least one of the one or more service plan options.

29. The wireless network system recited in claim 5, wherein the service plan selection interface is configured to allow the one or more device agents on the end-user device to modify the service plan associated with the end-user device by receiving, from the one or more device agents on the end-user device, a service selection information request.

30. The wireless network system recited in claim 5, wherein the service plan selection interface is configured to allow the one or more device agents on the end-user device to modify the service plan associated with the end-user device by:

receiving, from the one or more device agents on the end-user device, a service selection information request,

providing one or more service plan options to the one or more device agents on the end-user device, and

receiving a service plan selection from the one or more device agents on the end-user device, the service plan selection indicating at least one of the one or more service plan options.

31. The wireless network system recited in claim 30, wherein the service selection information request comprises a device credential.

32. The wireless network system recited in claim 5, wherein at least one of the one or more device agents on the end-user device comprises software, and further comprising one or more processors configured to provide at least a portion of the software to the end-user device.

8-15. -15. (canceled)