Wireless universal provisioning device

• US 6,487,403 B2
• Filed: 08/19/1999
• Issued: 11/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Verizon Laboratories Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Laboratories Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Carroll, Christopher Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Vivian
• Assistant Examiner(s): APPIAH, CHARLES NANA
• Application Number:
  US09/377,288
• Publication Number:
  US 20010041591A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,195 Days
• Field of Search: 455/418, 455/419, 455/420, 455/411, 455/551, 455/556, 455/426, 455/557, 455/550, 455/517
• US Class Current: 455/419
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/04 Key management, e.g. using generic bootstrapping architecture [GBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/12 Detection or prevention of fraud
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/35 Protecting application or service provisioning, e.g. securing SIM application provisioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/265 for initial activation of new user
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/18 between terminal devices

Abstract

A system includes at least one wireless communications device having a standard wireless interface and a wireless provisioning device that provisions the wireless communications device. The wireless provisioning device uses the standard wireless interface to transfer the provisioning information, including an authentication key, to the wireless communications device when both devices are interconnected via a wireline link between a transceiver antenna of the wireless communications device and a communication unit of the provisioning device.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a wireless communications device having a radio transceiver for communicating using a standard wireless interface, said radio transceiver including a transceiver antenna;

a wireless provisioning device that provisions said wireless communications device for use in a wireless communications network, said provisioning device operating independently from said wireless communications network, said provisioning device including;

a provisioning unit that controls the transfer of a provisioning message; and

a communication unit, connected to said provisioning unit; and

a wireline link interconnecting said transceiver antenna and said communication unit, said communication unit using said wireline link to transmit said provisioning message to said wireless communications device for receipt via said transceiver antenna to activate said wireless communications device.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said communication unit transmits said provisioning message to said wireless communications device at a low power level.

3. A system as claimed in claim 2 wherein:

said wireless communications device exhibits a minimum sensitivity level of at least −

100 dBm; and

said low power level is approximately one decibel over said minimum sensitivity level of said wireless communications device.

4. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said wireless communications network includes a Service Provider, and said provisioning message is generated by said Service Provider and electronically distributed to said provisioning device for transmission to said wireless communications device.

5. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said provisioning device generates said provisioning message.

6. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said communication unit includes an antenna, and said wireline link couples said communication unit antenna with said transceiver antenna of said wireless communication device.

7. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said provisioning device is in close proximity to said wireless communications device.

8. A system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising an electromagnetic shield encasing said transceiver antenna and said communication unit.

9. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said provisioning message includes a unique authentication key for distribution to said wireless communication device.

10. A method for provisioning a wireless device for use in a wireless communications network using a provisioning device, comprising:

selecting a wireless device to be provisioned;

interconnecting a transceiver antenna of said wireless device with a communication unit of said provisioning device using a wireline link;

generating a provisioning message;

placing said wireless device in a provisioning mode;

transmitting said provisioning message to said wireless device using said wireline link for receipt via said transceiver antenna, said transmitting operation being performed independent from said wireless communications network;

sending a notification signal to said wireless device using said wireline link for receipt via said transceiver antenna upon completion of said transmitting operation; and

storing said provisioning message that was transmitted to said wireless device in a database.

11. A method as claimed in claim 10 wherein said generating operation is performed by said provisioning device.

12. A method as claimed in claim 10 wherein said generating operation is performed by a Service Provider, and said method further comprises electronically distributing said generated provisioning message to said provisioning device.

13. A method as claimed in claim 10 wherein said placing operation is carried out by a user of said wireless device by entering a keypad sequence.

14. A method as claimed in claim 13 wherein said placing operation includes locking said wireless device to said provisioning device.

15. A method as claimed in claim 14 further comprising mimicking, prior to said locking operation, a control channel of an operational network of said wireless device, said mimicking operation being performed by said provisioning device.

16. A method as claimed in claim 14 wherein said locking operation includes placing said wireless device in a test mode to force said wireless device to tune to a predetermined frequency.

17. A method as claimed in claim 10 further comprising downloading said provisioning message from said database into a Service Provider database in association with said wireless device that has been provisioned.

18. A method as claimed in claim 10 wherein said provisioning message includes a unique authentication key for distribution to said wireless device.

19. A system comprising:

a wireless communications device having a radio transceiver for communicating using a standard wireless interface, said wireless communications device exhibiting a minimum sensitivity level of at least −

100 dBm, and said radio transceiver including a transceiver antenna;

a wireless provisioning device that provisions said wireless communications device for use in a wireless communications network, said provisioning device operating independently from said wireless communications network, said provisioning device including;

a provisioning unit that controls the transfer of a provisioning message, said provisioning message including a unique authentication key for distribution to said wireless communication device; and

a communication unit, connected to said provisioning unit, and configured to transmit said provisioning message at a power level approximately one decibel over said minimum sensitivity level of said wireless communications device; and

a wireline link interconnecting said transceiver antenna and said communication unit, said communication unit using said wireline link to transmit said provisioning message to said wireless communications device for receipt via said transceiver antenna to activate said wireless communications device.

20. A method for provisioning a wireless device for use in a wireless communications network using a provisioning device, comprising:

selecting a wireless device to be provisioned, said wireless device exhibiting a minimum sensitivity level of at least −

100 dBm;

interconnecting a transceiver antenna of said wireless device with a communication unit of said provisioning device using a wireline link;

generating a provisioning message, said provisioning message including a unique authentication key for distribution to said wireless device;

placing said wireless device in a provisioning mode;

transmitting said provisioning message to said wireless device using said wireline link for receipt via said transceiver antenna, said transmitting operation being performed independent from said wireless communications network, and said provisioning unit transmitting at a power level of approximately one decibel over said minimum sensitivity level of said wireless communications device;

sending a notification signal to said wireless device using said wireline link for receipt via said transceiver antenna upon completion of said transmitting operation; and

storing said provisioning message that was transmitted to said wireless device in a database.