System and method for using a temporary electronic serial number for over-the-air activation of a mobile device

• US 6,591,098 B1
• Filed: 11/07/2000
• Issued: 07/08/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Wireless Services Incorporated (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wong, Greg A., Shieh, Hugh
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Lee
• Application Number:
  US09/707,593
• Time in Patent Office: 973 Days
• Field of Search: 455/418, 455/419, 455/426, 455/433, 455/435, 455/410, 455/411, 455/551, 455/552, 455/553, 455/558, 380/43, 380/44, 380/247, 380/248
• US Class Current: 455/419
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/22 Arrangements for supervision, monitoring or testing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/265 for initial activation of new user

Abstract

A system and method for activating a subscriber identification module (SIM) based mobile device in a PCS/ANSI type wireless network. The method comprises preprogramming the SIM card of the mobile device with temporary activation identifiers, such as an international mobile station identity (IMSI) and/or a mobile identification number (MIN), and a temporary electronic serial number. The temporary electronic serial number, rather than the mobile device actual electronic serial number, is used to identify the mobile device during registration and activation. The network identifies the temporary electronic serial number associated with the SIM vendor and invokes an over-the-air activation procedure especially for the SIM card mobile devices. A SIM-over-the-air-activation processor is notified to perform the activation for that mobile device on the PCS wireless network. Authentications of the mobile device may be bypassed and the mobile device is instructed to transmit its actual electronic serial number for future registrations. Once the activation process is completed, the temporary activation identifiers are overwritten.

Claims

1. A wireless system for achieving over-the-air activation of a mobile device having a removable identification card with a preprogrammed temporary electronic serial number, the system comprising:

a base station communicating with the mobile device through an over-the-air interface;

a mobile switching center communicating with the base station;

a home location register communicating with the mobile switching center, and

a first processor that activates the mobile device with the removable identification card communicating with the switching center and the home location register, wherein when the mobile device having the removable identification card registers with the wireless system, the home location register informs the first processor to activate the mobile device according to the temporary electronic serial number preprogrammed onto the removable identification card.

2. The wireless system of claim 1, wherein the wireless system conforms to an ANSI protocol.

3. The wireless system of claim 2, wherein the home location register informs one of the first processor or a second processor to activate the mobile device, based on whether the mobile device transmits the temporary electronic serial number.

4. An ANSI protocol conforming wireless system for achieving over-the-air activation of a mobile device having a removable identification card with a temporary electronic serial number, the system comprising:

a base station communicating with the mobile device through an over-the-air interface;

a mobile switching center communicating with the base station;

a home location register communicating with the mobile switching center, and

a first processor or a second processor that activates the mobile device with the removable identification card communicating with the switching center and the home location register, wherein when the mobile device having the removable identification card registers with the wireless system, the home location register informs one of the first or the second processor to activate the mobile device according to the temporary electronic serial number, the second processor being so informed if the mobile device is identified using an Electronic Serial Number/Mobile Identification Number.

5. The wireless system of claim 4, wherein the home location register informs the second processor to activate the mobile device is it does not contain a removable identification card.

6. A wireless system for achieving over-the-air activation of a mobile device having a removable identification card with a preprogrammed temporary electronic serial number, the system comprising:

a base station communicating with the mobile device through an over-the-air interface;

a mobile switching center communicating with the base station;

a message center communicating with the mobile switching center; and

a first processor that activates the mobile device with the removable identification card communicating with the mobile switching center and the message center, wherein when the mobile device having the removable identification card registers with the wireless system, the message center identifies the mobile device as containing a removable identification card and informs the first processor to activate the mobile device according to the preprogrammed temporary electronic serial number.

7. A subscriber identification module in a wireless device for registration with a wireless network the identification module comprising:

a preprogrammed temporary activation identifier;

a preprogrammed temporary electronic serial number, and

at least one usage indicator set to report the temporary electronic serial number during registration with a wireless network.

8. A home location register in a wireless network the home location register operating a program comprising to the steps of:

receiving a temporary electronic serial number from a removable subscriber identification card in a mobile device;

associating the temporary electronic serial number with a vendor;

transmitting an activation notification signed to a subscriber identification card module over-the-air activation processor, and

activating the mobile device on the network using the subscriber identification card module over-the-air activation processor.

9. A method of activating a subscriber identification module based mobile device in a wireless network, comprising:

receiving a temporary electronic serial number from the mobile device;

associating the temporary electronic serial number with a vendor,

transmitting an activation notification signal to an over-the-air activation processor selected from plural over-the-air activation processors, and

activating the mobile device on the wireless network using the selected over-the-air-activation processor,

wherein the over-the-air activation processor selected from plural over-the-air activation processors is selected based on the association.

10. A method of achieving over-the-air activation with a wireless network of a mobile device having a removable identification card, the method comprising:

pre-programming the removable identification card with a temporary electronic serial number, inserting the removable identification card into the mobile device, and identifying the mobile device using the temporary electronic serial number during activation.

11. The method of claim 10 for achieving over-the-air activation of a mobile device, further comprising, after identifying the mobile device using the temporary electronic serial number, involving activation procedures for the mobile device.

12. The method of claim 11 for achieving over-the-air activation of a mobile device, further comprising the mobile device transmitting an actual electronic serial number for future registration with the wireless network.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising, during registration, sending an activation identifier and an activation electronic serial number as the card identifier.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein involving activation procedures for the mobile device further comprises notifying a removable identification card over-the-air-activation processor to handle the activation process for the mobile device.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein invoking the activation procedures for the mobile device further comprises the wireless network identifying a removable card vendor associated with the activation electronic serial number.

16. A method of achieving over-the-air activation with a wireless network of a mobile device having a removable identification card, the method comprising:

pre-programming the removable identification card with a temporary electronic serial number;

identifying the mobile device using the temporary electronic serial number during activation;

during registration, sending an activation identifier and an activation electronic serial number as the card identifier;

after identifying the mobile device using the temporary electronic serial number, invoking activation procedures for the mobile device, wherein invoking the activation procedures for the mobile device comprises the wireless network identifying a removable card vendor associated with the activation electronic serial number; and

bypassing authentication.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising preprogramming the removable identification card with temporary activation identifiers.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising preprogramming the removable identification card with usage indicators set to report the temporary electronic serial number during registration.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising overwriting the temporary activation identifiers after activation of the mobile device is completed.

20. A method of activating over the air a mobile device using one of a first activation processor or a second activation processor depending on whether the mobile device transmits an identifier associated with a SIM, the method comprising:

requesting registration with a wireless network using a temporary activation identifier;

creating a temporary subscriber profile;

determining whether the identifier associated with a SIM was reported; and

if the SIM-associated identifier was not reported;

notifying the first activation processor to execute over-the-air activation; and

if the SIM-associated identifier was reported;

bypassing authentication if bypassing authentication is allowed; and

notifying the second activation processor to execute over-the-air activation.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein notifying the second activation processor to execute over the air activation is based on the SIM-associated identifier.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the SIM-associated identifier is a S-ESN.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the first processor is capable of over-the-air activation of ESN or MIN associated mobile devices.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the second processor is capable of over-the-air activation of SIM-associated mobile devices.

25. A method of using an Electronic Serial Number (ESN) usage indicator defined on a subscriber identity module for over-the-air activation of a mobile device, comprising:

programming the ESN usage indicator to instruct the mobile device on which ESN to send to a wireless network; and

based on the ESN usage indicator, transmitting during registration a SIM-ESN for reporting and authentication.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

after registration, reprogramming the mobile device to transmit the ESN for reporting.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein programming the ESN usage indicator to instruct the mobile device on which ESN to send to a wireless network further comprises setting the ESN usage indicator as follows:

b2=1 and b1=1.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein reprogramming the mobile device further comprises setting the ESN usage indicators as follows:

b2=0 and b1=1.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein reprogramming the mobile device further comprises setting the ESN usage indicator as follows:

b2=0 and b1=0.

30. A mobile device comprising:

a removable subscriber identity module (SIM) that comprises memory configured to store a temporary electronic serial number associated with a vendor of the removable SIM; and

a transmitter configured to transmit the temporary electronic serial number stored in the removable SIM during activation.

31. The mobile device of claim 30, wherein the memory is configured to store an actual electronic serial number, and the transmitter is configured to transmit the actual electronic serial number for registration subsequent to activation.

32. The mobile device of claim 30, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit an indication to bypass authentication.