Device Assisted Services Install

• US 20130065578A1
• Filed: 11/12/2012
• Published: 03/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ItsOn, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Headwater Partners I LLC (Greg Raleigh)
• Inventors: Raleigh, Gregory G., Headwater Partners I LLC
• Granted Patent: US 8,634,821 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/419
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/082 the condition being updates or upgrades of network functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/61 based on the service used
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8094 Trial service, i.e. free of charge service for trial purposes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/183 Processing at user equipment or user record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/22 Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities

Abstract

Methods, devices, and computer-readable media for enabling a wireless device to establish communication with one or more network elements associated with one or more service providers including a particular service provider; update to include a service selection interface branding for providing a user interface characteristic that is specific to the particular service provider; obtain a service selection option comprising an option to select a service offering providing for access service over a particular wireless access network; use at least an aspect of the service selection interface branding to present the service selection option to the user; and obtain a user preference in response to the service selection option.

Claims

1. A wireless device comprising:

one or more modems for enabling the wireless device to communicate over one or more wireless access networks, the one or more wireless access networks including a particular wireless access network associated with a particular service provider; and

one or more service processors configured to;

based on a criterion, establish communication with one or more network elements available to the wireless device, the one or more network elements associated with one or more service providers, the one or more service providers including the particular service provider, the criterion comprising one of

a pre-association of at least an aspect of a credential of the wireless device with the particular service provider, or

a user response indicating the particular service provider, the user response obtained by presenting a first service selection option to a user,

update the wireless device to include a service selection interface branding, the service selection interface branding for providing a user interface characteristic that is specific to the particular service provider, and

communicate with the one or more network elements to

obtain a second service selection option comprising an option to select a service offering providing for service access over the particular wireless access network,

use at least an aspect of the service selection interface branding to present the second service selection option to the user, and

obtain a user preference in response to the second service selection option.

2. The wireless device recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more service processors are configured to update the wireless device to include the service selection interface branding by downloading a service processor software update or by downloading additional software.

3. The wireless device recited in claim 2, wherein the service processor software update or the additional software comprises one or more of:

a version based on a device type, a version based on a device group, a version based on a service type, a version based on the particular service provider, a version based on a service provider partner, a version that includes an additional feature, a version that includes additional functionality, an encrypted version, a version that includes a service plan setting or capability associated with a device group, a version that includes specific branding, a feature, or a functionality for the particular service provider or a service provider partner, a version that includes marketing material to motivate a user to try or buy a service or a transaction, a version for offering a different set of one or more options for service plan choices, a version with an ambient service setting, a version with an ambient service option, and a version with a service plan setting.

4. The wireless device recited in claim 1, wherein the criterion is the pre-association of the at least an aspect of the credential of the wireless device with the particular service provider, and wherein the at least an aspect of the credential comprises information derived from a subscriber information module (SIM), an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI), an electronic serial number (ESN), a media access control (MAC) address, a unique device identifier, or user information.

5. The wireless device recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more service processors are configured to update the wireless device to include the service selection interface branding by obtaining the service selection interface branding from the one or more network elements.

6. The wireless device recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more service processors are further configured to update the wireless device to include a policy setting associated with the particular wireless access network, the policy setting for assisting the wireless device in connecting to the particular wireless access network associated with the particular service provider.

7. The wireless device recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more service processors are further configured to update the wireless device to include a policy setting associated with the particular wireless access network, the policy setting for assisting in one or more of:

presenting a notification, presenting a service usage notification, obtaining an acknowledgment, obtaining or implementing a user service preference setting, and obtaining or implementing a user data privacy setting.

8. The wireless device recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more service processors are further configured to update the wireless device to include a policy setting associated with the particular wireless access network, the policy setting being one or more of a wireless network authentication setting, a network admission control setting, and a network or device management communication setting.

9. The wireless device recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more service processors are further configured to update the wireless device to include a policy setting associated with the particular wireless access network, the policy setting being one or more of an application access setting, a content access setting, and a transaction setting.

10. The wireless device recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more service processors are further configured to update the wireless device to include a policy setting associated with the particular wireless access network, the policy setting to assist in one or more of:

directing or controlling traffic, billing for a service, providing a notification, providing a service usage notification, and obtaining a user acknowledgment.

11. The wireless device recited in claim 1, wherein the criterion is the pre-association of the at least an aspect of the credential of the wireless device with the particular service provider, and wherein the one or more service processors are configured to inspect at least a portion of the credential of the wireless device in establishing communications with the one or more network elements.

12. The wireless device recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more network elements are a first set of one or more network elements, and wherein the criterion is the pre-association of the at least an aspect of the credential of the wireless device with the particular service provider, and wherein the one or more service processors are configured to establish communications with the first set of one or more network elements by sending at least a portion of the credential of the wireless device to a second set of one or more network elements and obtaining, in response to sending the at least a portion of the credential of the wireless device, information identifying at least one network element of the first set of one or more network elements.

13. The wireless device recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more service processors are further configured to limit communications over at least one of the one or more wireless access networks until the service offering is selected.

14. The wireless device recited in claim 1, wherein, prior to the user selecting the service offering, the wireless device is pre-provisioned with information to assist the wireless device in connecting to the one or more network elements or with information to assist the wireless device in presenting the first service selection option to the user.

15. The wireless device recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more service processors are further configured to establish a secure channel with the one or more network elements in establishing communications with the one or more network elements.

16. The wireless device recited in claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the one or more service processors comprises software.

17. The wireless device recited in claim 1, wherein the service offering comprises a service plan.

18. The wireless device recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more service processors are further configured to assist in sending the user preference to at least one of the one or more network elements.

19. A method performed by a wireless device, the method comprising:

based on a criterion, establishing communication with one or more network elements available to the wireless device, the one or more network elements associated with one or more service providers, the one or more service providers including a particular service provider, the criterion comprising one of

a pre-association of at least an aspect of a credential of the wireless device with the particular service provider, or

a user response indicating the particular service provider, the user response obtained by presenting a first service selection option to a user;

updating the wireless device to include a service selection interface branding, the service selection interface branding for providing a user interface characteristic that is specific to the particular service provider;

obtaining, from the one or more network elements, a second service selection option comprising an option to select a service offering providing for service access over the particular wireless access network;

using at least an aspect of the service selection interface branding, presenting the second service selection option to the user; and

obtaining a user preference in response to the second service selection option.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising sending the user preference to at least one of the one or more network elements.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising deducting an amount of service usage from a user account, the user account for assisting in billing the user for usage of at least one of the one or more wireless access networks, the amount of service usage comprising a measure of wireless access network usage associated with one or more of establishing communication with the one or more network elements available to the wireless device, updating the wireless device to include the service selection interface branding, and obtaining the user response to the second service selection option.

22. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing program code for causing a computer to perform the steps of:

based on a criterion, establishing communication with one or more network elements available to a wireless device, the one or more network elements associated with one or more service providers, the one or more service providers including a particular service provider, the criterion comprising one of

a pre-association of at least an aspect of a credential of the wireless device with the particular service provider, or

a user response indicating the particular service provider, the user response obtained by presenting a first service selection option to a user;

updating the wireless device to include a service selection interface branding, the service selection interface branding for providing a user interface characteristic that is specific to the particular service provider;

obtaining, from the one or more network elements, a second service selection option comprising an option to select a service offering providing for service access over the particular wireless access network;

using at least an aspect of the service selection interface branding, presenting the second service selection option to the user; and

obtaining a user preference in response to the second service selection option.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium recited in claim 22, wherein the service offering comprises a service plan.