System and method for automatic registration notification for over-the-air activation
First Claim
1. A method for activating a mobile station in a wireless communications network to program a MIN into the mobile station prior to the first time that it is used, comprising:
- receiving at a wireless network node a registration message, said registration message including a received MIN selected from the group consisting of a valid MIN and a dummy MIN, said dummy MIN being translatable into an address for an over the air activation processor in a signaling network coupled to the wireless network, wherein said registration message further includes, in addition to said received MIN, an electronic serial number (ESN) of the mobile station; and
if said received MIN is a valid MIN;
routing said received message to a home location register (HLR);
if said received MIN is a dummy MIN;
translating said dummy MIN into said address for said over the air activation processor;
routing said registration message to said over the air activation processor;
initiating an activation process at said over the air activation processor in response to said received registration message; and
transmitting activation parameters to said mobile station in response to said activation process using said ESN.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system automatically activates a mobile station in a wireless communications network. The system includes an over the air activation function (OTAF) processor in the network that initiates an activation process in response to receiving a registration message from a mobile switching center serving the mobile station requesting the activation. Each mobile station has a unit of information stored into it at the time of its manufacture to enable it to request over the air activation. That unit of information is either the network routing address of the OTAF processor, or alternately, it is a value that is translatable into that address, either an OTAF ID number that is the same value for every mobile station or it is a sequentially serialized dummy value for the mobile identification number (a dummy MIN). When the mobile station is turned on for the first time in the network, it requests activation over the air by transmitting to the local mobile switching center a registration order. The registration order will include one of the three alternative forms of the information unit described above, either the routing address of the OTAF processor, or the OTAF ID number, or a dummy MIN.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A method for activating a mobile station in a wireless communications network to program a MIN into the mobile station prior to the first time that it is used, comprising:
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receiving at a wireless network node a registration message, said registration message including a received MIN selected from the group consisting of a valid MIN and a dummy MIN, said dummy MIN being translatable into an address for an over the air activation processor in a signaling network coupled to the wireless network, wherein said registration message further includes, in addition to said received MIN, an electronic serial number (ESN) of the mobile station; and
if said received MIN is a valid MIN;
routing said received message to a home location register (HLR);
if said received MIN is a dummy MIN;
translating said dummy MIN into said address for said over the air activation processor;
routing said registration message to said over the air activation processor;
initiating an activation process at said over the air activation processor in response to said received registration message; and
transmitting activation parameters to said mobile station in response to said activation process using said ESN. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
storing said ESN in a visitor location register.
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4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
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establishing a voice channel between said mobile station and an activation center;
sending authorization data from said activation center to said over the air activation processor in response to information received from said voice channel; and
completing said activation process in response to said authorization data.
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5. A method for activating a mobile station in a wireless communications network to program a MIN into the mobile station prior to the first time that it is used, comprising:
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receiving at a wireless network node a registration message, said registration message including an address for an over the air activation processor in a signaling network coupled to the wireless network, wherein said registration message further includes an electronic serial number (ESN) in addition to said address for said over the air activation processor;
routing said registration message to said over the air activation processor;
initiating an activation process at said over the air activation processor in response to said received registration message; and
transmitting activation parameters to said mobile station in response to said activation process using said ESN. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9)
storing said ESN in a visitor location register.
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9. The method of claim 5 further comprising:
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establishing a voice channel between said mobile station and an activation center;
sending authorization data from said activation center to said over the air activation processor in response to information received from said voice channel; and
completing said activation process in response to said authorization data.
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10. A method for activating a mobile station in a wireless communications network coupled to a signaling network to program a MIN into the mobile station prior to the first time that it is used, comprising:
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receiving at a mobile switching center in the wireless communications network a registration message, said registration message including a received MIN, said received MIN being selected from the group consisting of a valid MIN and a dummy MIN, said dummy MIN being translatable into an address for an over the air activation processor in the signaling network, wherein said registration message further includes an electronic serial number (ESN) of the mobile station;
if said received MIN is a valid MIN;
routing said registration message to a home location register (HLR);
if said received MIN is a dummy MIN;
translating said dummy MIN into said address at a signal transfer point (STP) in the signaling network;
routing said registration message with the STP over said signaling network to said over the air activation processor;
initiating an activation process at said over the air activation processor in response to said received registration message; and
transmitting activation parameters over the signaling network and the wireless communications network to said mobile station in response to said activation process using said ESN. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
storing said ESN of the mobile station in a visitor location register.
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13. The method of claim 10 further comprising:
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establishing a voice channel between said mobile station and an activation center;
sending authorization data from said activation center to said over the air activation processor in response to information received from said voice channel; and
completing said activation process in response to said authorization data.
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14. A method for activating a mobile station in a wireless communications network to program a MIN into the mobile station prior to the first time that it is used, comprising:
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receiving at a wireless network node a registration message, said registration message including an over the air function (OTAF) ID number, said OTAF ID number being translatable into an address for an over the air activation processor in a signaling network coupled to the wireless network, wherein said registration message further includes an electronic serial number (ESN) in addition to said received OTAF ID number;
translating said OTAF ID number into said address for said over the air activation processor;
routing said registration message to said over the air activation processor;
initiating an activation process at said over the air activation processor in response to said received registration message; and
transmitting activation parameters to said mobile station in response to said activation process using said ESN. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
storing said ESN in a visitor location register.
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17. The method of claim 14 further comprising:
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establishing a voice channel between said mobile station and an activation center;
sending authorization data from said activation center to said over the air activation processor in response to information received from said voice channel; and
completing said activation process in response to said authorization data.
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18. A system for activating a mobile station in a wireless communications network to program a MIN into the mobile station prior to the first time that it is used, comprising:
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an over the air activation processor in a signaling network coupled to the wireless network;
a mobile switching center at a node in said wireless network, said mobile switching center receiving a registration message including a received MIN, said received MIN being selected from the group consisting of a valid MIN and a dummy MIN, said dummy MIN being translatable into an address for said over the air activation processor, wherein said registration message further includes an electronic serial number (ESN) of the mobile station;
a visitor location register (VLR) coupled to said mobile switching center, wherein said ESN is stored in said VLR;
a signal transfer point coupled to said mobile switching center in said signaling network; and
a home location register (HLR) coupled to said signal transfer point, wherein if said received MIN is a valid MIN;
said signal transfer point routes said registration message to said HLR;
if said received MIN is a dummy MIN;
said signal transfer point translates said dummy MIN into said address and routes said registration message to said over the air activation processor; and
said over the air activation processor initiates an activation process in response to said received registration message and causes transmission of parameters to said mobile station using said ESN stored in said VLR. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
an activation center in said network having a voice channel established with said mobile station, wherein said activation center sends authorization data to said over the air activation processor in response to information received from said voice channel; and
said over the air activation processor completes said activation process in response to said authorization data.
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21. A system for activating a mobile station in a wireless communications network to program a MIN into the mobile station prior to the first time that it is used, comprising:
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an over the air activation processor in a signaling network coupled to the wireless network;
a mobile switching center at a node in said wireless network, said mobile switching center receiving a registration message, said registration message including an address for said over the air activation processor and, in addition to said address, an electronic serial number (ESN) of the mobile station; and
a visitor location register (VLR) coupled to said mobile switching center, said ESN being stored in said VLR, wherein said mobile switching center causes a routing of said registration message to said over the air activation processor; and
said over the air activation processor initiates an activation process in response to said received registration message and causes transmission of parameters to said mobile station using said ESN stored in said VLR. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
an activation center in said network having a voice channel established with said mobile station, wherein said activation center sends authorization data to said over the air activation processor in response to information received from said voice channel; and
said over the air activation processor completes said activation process in response to said authorization data.
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25. A system for activating a mobile station in a wireless communications network coupled to a signaling network to program a MIN into the mobile station prior to the first time that it is used, comprising:
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an over the air activation processor in the signaling network;
a mobile switching center which receives a registration message from the mobile station, said registration message including a received MIN, said received MIN including a valid MIN and a dummy MIN, said dummy MIN being translatable into an address for said over the air activation processor, wherein said registration message further includes, in addition to said received MIN, an electronic serial number (ESN) of the mobile station;
a visitor location register (VLR) coupled to said mobile switching center;
a signal transfer point in the signaling network coupled to said mobile switching center; and
a home location register (HLR) coupled to said signal transfer point, wherein if said received MIN is a valid MIN;
said signal transfer point routes said registration message to said HLR;
if said received MIN is a dummy MIN;
said signal transfer point translates said dummy MIN into said address and routes said registration message over the signaling network to said over the air activation processor in said network; and
said over the air activation processor initiates an activation process in response to said received registration message and causes transmission of parameters over the signaling network and the wireless communications network to said mobile station using said ESN. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27)
an activation center in said network having a voice channel established with said mobile station, wherein said activation center sends authorization data to said over the air activation processor in response to information received from said voice channel; and
said over the air activation processor completes said activation process in response to said authorization data.
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28. A system for activating a mobile station in a wireless communications network to program a MIN into the mobile station prior to the first time that it is used, comprising:
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an over the air activation processor in a signaling network coupled to the wireless network;
a mobile switching center at a node in said wireless network, said mobile switching center receiving a registration message, said registration message including an over the air Function (OTAF) ID number, said OTAF ID number being translatable into an address for said over the air activation processor, and wherein and said registration message further includes an electronic serial number (ESN) of the mobile station; and
a visitor location register (VLR) coupled to said mobile switching center, wherein said ESN is stored in said VLR, wherein said mobile switching center causes a translation of said OTAF ID number into an address for said over the air activation processor and a routing of said registration message in said signaling network to said over the air activation processor; and
said over the air activation processor initiates an activation process in response to said received registration message and causes transmission of parameters to said mobile station using said ESN stored in said VLR. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30)
an activation center in said network having a voice channel established with said mobile station, wherein said activation center sends authorization data to said over the air activation processor in response to information received from said voice channel; and
said over the air activation processor completes said activation process in response to said authorization data.
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Specification