Control Software for Unlocking and Relocking Cellular Telephones

• US 20140235219A1
• Filed: 03/11/2014
• Published: 08/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ivan Knezevic
• Original Assignee: Ivan Knezevic
• Inventors: Knezevic, Ivan
• Application Number:
  US14/204,335
• Publication Number:
  US 20140235219A1
• 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 telecommunications devices, said system comprising:

a computer system including a computer server and at least one computer terminal, said at least one computer terminal having a plurality of communication lines, at least a first of said plurality of communication lines being connectable for remote communication through the internet with said computer server;

a local communicator for communication between said at least one computer terminal and any of a plurality of different makes of wireless telecommunications devices; and

said computer system being programmed to perform a method for reprovisioning any of said plurality of different makes of wireless telecommunications devices, said method including the steps of;

controlling said computer terminal to monitor its communication lines in order to recognize a connection between one of the communication lines and a wireless telecommunications device of any of said plurality of different makes of wireless telecommunications devices, wherein the wireless telecommunications device has operating parameters in a first configuration;

identifying the wireless telecommunications device for which the connection has been recognized by said computer terminal in order to determine a characterization of the wireless telecommunications device, either by receiving user input of identifying characteristics of the wireless telecommunications device or by sampling electronically readable characteristics of the wireless telecommunications device, wherein said characterization of the wireless telecommunications device is characterized by a combination of the wireless telecommunications device'"'"'s characteristics, said characteristics including at least one of the following characteristics;

a permanent identification number (such as, without limitation, the ESN or MEID) for the wireless telecommunications device,

a changeable identification number (such as, without limitation, the MDN or an MIN) for the wireless telecommunications device,

the name of firmware that is stored on the wireless telecommunications device for controlling its operation;

the particular version of said firmware,

the release date of said firmware,

the name of the bin file of said firmware,

the brand of hardware of the wireless telecommunications device,

the model of said hardware,

the particular version of said hardware,

the release date of said hardware,

the build date of said hardware;

matching the determined characterization of the wireless telecommunications device identified by said computer system to a group of settings that correspond to the determined characterization;

controlling said computer terminal to allow the user to reconfigure the operating parameters of the wireless telecommunications device by choosing selections from a group of selections displayed by said computer terminal, whereby a second configuration of operating parameters is produced such that the second configuration is different than the first configuration of the operating parameters;

verifying settings for said second configuration and the wireless telecommunications device from model settings;

modifying access settings of the wireless telecommunications device so as to allow modification of the operating parameters of the wireless telecommunications device;

after said modifying settings step, modifying operating parameters of the wireless telecommunications device to cause the wireless telecommunications device to have operating parameters in the second configuration, so as to electronically enable the wireless telecommunications device to operate differently; and

generating a report reflecting the success or failure of the reprovisioning;

whereby operation of the wireless telecommunications device will be modified to operate based on the second configuration rather than based on the first configuration.

2. The system as in claim 1 for allowing users to universally reprovision wireless telecommunications devices, wherein:

the first configuration of operating parameters of the wireless telecommunications device includes PRL data to cause the wireless telecommunications device to be operable to communicate with other wireless telecommunications devices through access to a first wireless cellular telecommunications network; and

said modifying operating parameters step comprises modifying PRL data of the wireless telecommunications device to cause the wireless telecommunications device to be operable to communicate with other wireless telecommunications devices through access to a second wireless cellular telecommunications network.

3. The system as in claim 2 for allowing users to universally reprovision wireless telecommunications devices, wherein:

said first wireless cellular telecommunications network corresponds to a first wireless cellular carrier;

said second wireless cellular telecommunications network corresponds to a second wireless cellular carrier that is different from said first wireless cellular carrier;

said computer terminal controlling to allow step comprises controlling the computer terminal to allow the user to reconfigure the PRL data of the wireless telecommunications device by choosing said second wireless cellular carrier from a group of potential wireless cellular carriers displayed by said computer terminal; and

said verifying settings step comprises verifying PRL data that would cause the wireless telecommunications device to be operable to communicate with other wireless telecommunications devices through access to said second wireless cellular telecommunications network;

whereby said computer terminal controlling to allow step causes operation of the wireless telecommunications device to be modified to access said second wireless cellular telecommunications network rather than said first wireless cellular telecommunications network.

4. The system as in claim 1 for allowing users to universally reprovision wireless telecommunications devices, wherein:

the first configuration of operating parameters of the wireless telecommunications device includes PRL data to cause the wireless telecommunications device to be operable to communicate with other wireless telecommunications devices through access to a first wireless cellular telecommunications network, said first wireless cellular telecommunications network corresponding to a first wireless cellular carrier;

said local communicator comprises either a cable or a wireless connection;

said modifying access settings step comprises modifying settings of the wireless telecommunications device so as to electronically unlock SPC or MSL features of the wireless telecommunications device to allow modification of its operating parameters;

said modifying operating parameters step comprises modifying PRL data of the wireless telecommunications device to cause the wireless telecommunications device to be operable to communicate with other wireless telecommunications devices through access to a second wireless cellular telecommunications network, said second wireless cellular telecommunications network corresponds to a second wireless cellular carrier that is different from said first wireless cellular carrier;

said computer terminal controlling to allow step comprises controlling the computer terminal to allow the user to reconfigure the PRL data of the wireless telecommunications device by choosing said second wireless cellular carrier from a group of potential wireless cellular carriers displayed by said computer terminal; and

said verifying settings step comprises verifying PRL data that would cause the wireless telecommunications device to be operable to communicate with other wireless telecommunications devices through access to said second wireless cellular telecommunications network;

whereby said computer terminal controlling to allow step causes operation of the wireless telecommunications device to be modified to access said second wireless cellular telecommunications network rather than said first wireless cellular telecommunications network.

5. The system as in claim 1 for allowing users to universally reprovision wireless telecommunications devices, wherein said modifying settings step comprises modifying settings of the wireless telecommunications device so as to electronically unlock the wireless telecommunications device to allow modification of its operating parameters.

6. The system as in claim 1 for allowing users to universally reprovision wireless telecommunications devices, wherein said modifying settings step comprises modifying settings of the wireless telecommunications device so as to unlock SPC or MSL features of the wireless telecommunications device to allow modification of its operating parameters.

7. The system as in claim 1 for allowing users to universally reprovision wireless telecommunications devices, wherein said method further comprises:

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

performing an RF sensitivity test to screen the wireless telecommunications device for RF performance, said RF sensitivity test including comparing readings from the wireless telecommunications device against a maximum permissible degradation to a calibration wireless device to qualify the wireless telecommunications device.

8. The system as in claim 1 for allowing users to universally reprovision wireless telecommunications devices, wherein:

the plurality of communication lines of said at least one computer terminal comprises a plurality of communication ports; and

said local communicator comprises a cable connectible between a first of said communication ports and the wireless telecommunications device.

9. The system as in claim 1 for allowing users to universally reprovision wireless telecommunications devices, wherein said local communicator comprises either a cable or a wireless connection.

10. A system for allowing users to universally reprovision wireless telecommunications devices, said system comprising:

a computer system including a computer server and at least one computer terminal, said at least one computer terminal having a plurality of communication lines;

a local communicator for communication between said at least one computer terminal and any of a plurality of different makes of wireless telecommunications devices; and

said computer system being programmed to perform a method for reprovisioning any of said plurality of different makes of wireless telecommunications devices, said method including the steps of;

controlling said computer terminal to monitor its communication lines in order to recognize a connection between one of the communication lines and a wireless telecommunications device of any of said plurality of different makes of wireless telecommunications devices, wherein the wireless telecommunications device has operating parameters in a first configuration;

identifying the wireless telecommunications device for which the connection has been recognized by said computer terminal in order to determine a characterization of the wireless telecommunications device, either by receiving user input of identifying characteristics of the wireless telecommunications device or by sampling electronically readable characteristics of the wireless telecommunications device, wherein said characterization of the wireless telecommunications device is characterized by a combination of the wireless telecommunications device'"'"'s characteristics, said characteristics including at least one of the following characteristics;

a permanent identification number for the wireless telecommunications device,

a changeable identification number for the wireless telecommunications device,

the name of firmware that is stored on the wireless telecommunications device for controlling its operation;

the particular version of said firmware,

the release date of said firmware,

the name of the bin file of said firmware,

the brand of hardware of the wireless telecommunications device,

the model of said hardware,

the particular version of said hardware,

the release date of said hardware,

the build date of said hardware;

matching the determined characterization of the wireless telecommunications device identified by said computer system to a group of settings that correspond to the determined characterization;

controlling said computer terminal to allow the user to reconfigure the operating parameters of the wireless telecommunications device by choosing selections from a group of selections displayed by said computer terminal, whereby a second configuration of operating parameters is produced such that the second configuration is different than the first configuration of the operating parameters;

modifying access settings of the wireless telecommunications device so as to allow modification of the operating parameters of the wireless telecommunications device;

after said modifying settings step, modifying operating parameters of the wireless telecommunications device to cause the wireless telecommunications device to have operating parameters in the second configuration, so as to electronically enable the wireless telecommunications device to operate differently; and

generating a report reflecting the success or failure of the reprovisioning;

whereby operation of the wireless telecommunications device will be modified to operate based on the second configuration rather than based on the first configuration;

further whereby the first configuration of operating parameters of the wireless telecommunications device includes Primary Rate Interface (PRI) data to cause the wireless telecommunications device to be operable to communicate with other wireless telecommunications devices through access to a first wireless cellular telecommunications network; and

said modifying operating parameters step comprises modifying PRI data of the wireless telecommunications device to cause the wireless telecommunications device to be operable to communicate with other wireless telecommunications devices through access to a second wireless cellular telecommunications network.

11. The system as in claim 10 wherein said computer server and said computer terminal are run on the same computing device.

12. The system as in claim 10 wherein said computer server and said computer terminal are run on a wireless telecommunications device.

13. The system as in claim 10 wherein said computer system being programmed allows for user interaction.

14. The system as in claim 10 wherein said computer system being programmed allows for automated interaction.