METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR APPLICATION PROVISIONING

• US 20150079928A1
• Filed: 11/18/2014
• Published: 03/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mikan, Jeffrey, Lewis, John, DiPrima, Kenneth James Jr., McNamara, Justin, Cenciarelli, Fulvio Arturo
• Granted Patent: US 9,794,726 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/406
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5054 Automatic deployment of services triggered by the service manager, e.g. service implementation by automatic configuration of network components
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1016 IP multimedia subsystem [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1026 at the edge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/611 for multicast or broadcast systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/68 Payment of value-added services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring

Abstract

A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a controller can be operable to generate a target list of subscribers by filtering a list of potential target users of an application existing on a source device by removing target subscribers from the target list of subscribers according to selection criteria. The controller can be further operable to transmit to devices of the target list of subscribers content associated with the application that when accessed invites the target list of subscribers to use the application, and to provision the application on at least one device associated with the target list of subscribers. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

a memory to store instructions; and

a processor coupled to the memory, wherein responsive to executing the instructions, the processor performs operations comprising;

compiling a list of potential target users of an application existing on a user device of a source subscriber;

filtering the list of potential target users by removing a portion of the potential target users from the list of potential target users based on target subscriber subscription information, target subscriber device capability, target subscriber identity module capability, potential target user eligibility, or any combination thereof, thereby generating a list of remaining target users; and

provisioning the application on a device of a target user on the list of remaining target users,

wherein the application, upon being provisioned, is available for execution on the device of the target user,

wherein the list of potential target users is compiled based on a previous use of the application or attempt to use the application by the source subscriber, and

wherein the potential target user eligibility is based on a status of the potential target user as a post paid user, as a reseller, or as belonging to a predetermined market or enterprise.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the device belongs to a communication system having a plurality of subscribers separate from the device and communicating with the device via a network, the plurality of subscribers including the potential target users on the list of potential target users.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the provisioning further comprises automatically provisioning the application on each of a plurality of devices associated with the target users on the list of remaining target users.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise notifying the target user by a short messaging service message after the application is provisioned on the device of the target user.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise notifying the user device of the source subscriber after the application is provisioned on the device of the target user.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the provisioning further comprises transmitting to the device of the target user content associated with the application that when accessed invites the target user to use the application.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the filtering further comprises removing a portion of the potential target users from the list of potential target users based on the target subscriber subscription information by comparing information from the user device of the source subscriber with information on an enterprise directory.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the filtering further comprises removing a portion of the potential target users from the list of potential target users based on the target subscriber device capability by comparing information from the user device of the source subscriber with information on a device list on a remote server.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the filtering further comprises removing a portion of the potential target users from the list of potential target users based on the target subscriber identity module capability by comparing information from the user device of the source subscriber with information on a remote server containing subscriber identity module capability.

10. A device, comprising:

a memory to store instructions; and

a processor coupled to the memory, wherein responsive to executing the instructions, the processor performs operations comprising;

compiling a list of potential target users of an application existing on a user device of a source subscriber;

filtering the list of potential target users by removing a portion of the potential target users from the list of potential target users based on target subscriber subscription information, target subscriber device capability, target subscriber identity module capability, potential target user eligibility, or any combination thereof, thereby generating a list of remaining target users; and

transmitting a message to a device of a target user on the list of remaining target users notifying the target user that the target user is enabled to perform a self-install procedure for the application and thereby provision the device of the target user with the application,

wherein the application, upon being provisioned, is available for execution on the device of the target user,

wherein the user device of the source subscriber is different from the device of the target user,

wherein the list of potential target users is compiled based on a previous use of the application or attempt to use the application by the source subscriber, and

wherein the potential target user eligibility is based on a status of the potential target user as a post paid user, as a reseller, or as belonging to a predetermined market or enterprise.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the message comprises a personalized invitation to use the application.

12. The device of claim 10, wherein the filtering further comprises removing a portion of the potential target users from the list of potential target users based on the target subscriber subscription information by comparing information from the user device of the source subscriber with information on an enterprise directory.

13. The device of claim 10, wherein the filtering further comprises removing a portion of the potential target users from the list of potential target users based on the target subscriber device capability by comparing information from the user device of the source subscriber with information on a device list on a remote server.

14. The device of claim 10, wherein the filtering further comprises removing a portion of the potential target users from the list of potential target users based on the target subscriber identity module capability by comparing information from the user device of the source subscriber with information on a remote server containing subscriber identity module capability.

15. The device of claim 10, wherein the operations further comprise notifying the user device of the source subscriber after the application is provisioned on the device of the target user.

16. A machine-readable storage device, comprising instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

compiling a list of potential target users of an application existing on a user device of a source subscriber;

filtering the list of potential target users by removing a portion of the potential target users from the list of potential target users based on target subscriber subscription information, target subscriber device capability, target subscriber identity module capability, potential target user eligibility, or any combination thereof, thereby generating a list of remaining target users; and

transmitting a message to a device of a target user on the list of remaining target users notifying the target user that the target user is enabled to perform a self-install procedure for the application and thereby provision the device of the target user with the application,

wherein the application, upon being provisioned, is available for execution on the device of the target user,

wherein the message comprises a personalized invitation to use the application,

wherein the user device of the source subscriber is different from the device of the target user, and

wherein the potential target user eligibility is based on a status of the potential target user as a post paid user, as a reseller, or as belonging to a predetermined market or enterprise.

17. The machine-readable storage device of claim 16, wherein the list of potential target users is compiled based on a previous use of the application or attempt to use the application by the source subscriber.

18. The machine-readable storage device of claim 16, wherein the operations further comprise notifying the user device of the source subscriber after the application is provisioned on the device of the target user.

19. The machine-readable storage device of claim 16, wherein the invitation comprises content associated with the application that when accessed invites the target user to use the application.

20. The machine-readable storage device of claim 16, wherein the operations further comprise notifying the target user by a short messaging service message after the application is provisioned on the device of the target user.