Method and system facilitating web based provisioning of two-way mobile communications devices

• US 6,647,260 B2
• Filed: 04/09/1999
• Issued: 11/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Unwired Planet LLC (JP Morgan Chase & Co)
• Original Assignee: Openwave Systems Incorporated (JP Morgan Chase & Co)
• Inventors: Schwartz, Bruce V., Martin, Jr., Bruce K., Dusse, Steve, King, Peter F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trost, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): PEREZ GUTIERREZ, RAFAEL
• Application Number:
  US09/289,559
• Publication Number:
  US 20020068554A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,677 Days
• Field of Search: 455/419, 455/418, 455/414, 455/466, 455/411, 455/517, 455/410, 370/338, 370/352, 370/401, 370/402, 370/403, 370/404, 370/313, 709/218, 709/219, 709/223, 709/225, 709/227, 713/168, 713/169, 713/201
• US Class Current: 455/419
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/35 Protecting application or service provisioning, e.g. securing SIM application provisioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring

Abstract

A system and method for provisioning a two-way mobile communications device having a display screen and user interface that is initiated from the device to be provisioned. The device to be provisioned establishes a secure communications session with a provisioning server device. The subject communications path may utilize an intermediate server device. The user of the device is then presented with a plurality of input and choice screens, which may be used in conjunction with the user interface to provide user information, select device features and services. The user information and selected feature and service requests are then forwarded to the provisioning server device. The provisioning server device processes the received information and generates provisioning packages, registration requests, and notifications for the subject mobile device and for any associated server device providing services. The provisioning packages may comprise software modules, parameters and any required security information.

Claims

1. A method for provisioning a two-way mobile communications device having a display and a user interface, the method being performed by the two-way mobile communications device and comprising:

receiving user information required to establish a user account;

displaying a list of selectable identifiers on the display, each selectable identifier corresponding to a selectable service or feature for which the two-way mobile communications device can be provisioned;

receiving a user'"'"'s selection of a selectable identifier from the list;

generating a provisioning request comprising the user information and the user'"'"'s selection;

establishing a communications link with a provisioning server;

providing authentication information to enable a remote server to authenticate the two-way mobile communications device;

sending the provisioning request to the provisioning server over the communications link;

receiving a reply to the provisioning request; and

provisioning the two-way mobile communications device with a feature or service based on the reply.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the reply comprises receiving software to enable the services;

and provisioning the two-way mobile communications device comprises installing the software in the two-way mobile communications device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the reply comprises receiving activation information to render operational previously installed non-operational software in the two-way mobile communications device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein provisioning the two-way mobile communications device comprises activating the non-operational software with the activation information.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing the communications link with the provisioning server is accomplished via a wide area communications network.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the wide area communications network comprises the Internet.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein establishing the communications link is accomplished via a proxy server.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the proxy server acts as a gateway to bridge communications between an airnet with which the two-way mobile communications device communicates and the wide area communications network with which the provisioning server communicates.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the remote server, the proxy server, and the provisioning server are included in a single server device.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the selectable identifiers further correspond to selectable service packages, each package comprising predetermined feature and services configurations for the two-way mobile communications device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein each selectable identifier comprises an identifier of a corresponding provisioning server.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the identifier is a uniform resource locator.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the reply comprises receiving terms and conditions on which a service provider is prepared to provide services.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising receiving the user'"'"'s approval of the terms and conditions;

and forwarding the user'"'"'s approval to the provisioning server.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the reply comprises receiving a notification indicating which services and features have been provisioned.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the reply comprises receiving a notification relating to a state of processing of the provisioning request.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing the communications link comprises establishing a secure communications link.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the reply is accomplished on a narrow band channel.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the narrow band channel is an SMS channel.

20. A provisioning server comprising a processor and a memory coupled thereto, the memory storing instructions which when executed by the processor cause the processor to perform a method comprising:

receiving an authentication request from a proxy server;

sending authentication information to the proxy server in response to the authentication request;

receiving a provisioning request from a two-way mobile communications device as a forwarded message from the proxy server, the provisioning request comprising user information required to establish a user account, device information identifying the two-way mobile communications device, and a user selection indicating a user'"'"'s selection of services to be provisioned;

verifying the user information and device information; and

provisioning the two-way mobile communications device with the user'"'"'s selection of services.

21. The provisioning server of claim 20, wherein provisioning the two-way mobile communications device comprises generating notifications relating to terms and conditions associated with a service in the user selection;

forwarding the generated notifications to the two-way mobile communications device; and

receiving user acceptance of the terms and conditions.

22. The provisioning server of claim 20, wherein provisioning the two-way mobile communications device comprises establishing a communications link with a service server providing a service which has been requested in the provisioning request;

and sending a request to the service server requesting registration of the user for the service.

23. The provisioning server of claim 22, wherein the communications link is a secure communication link.

24. The provisioning server of claim 20, wherein provisioning the two-way mobile communications device comprises sending activation information required to activate previously stored non-operational applications in the two-way mobile communications device.

25. The provisioning server of claim 20, wherein provisioning the two-way mobile communications device comprises sending software modules to the two-way mobile communications device to enable the requested services.

26. A method for processing a provisioning request from a two-way mobile communications device, the method comprising:

receiving at a provisioning server, an authentication request from a proxy server;

sending authentication information to the proxy server in response to the authentication request;

receiving the provisioning request from the two-way mobile communications device as a forwarded message from the proxy server, the provisioning request comprising user information required to establish a user account, device information identifying the two-way mobile communications device, and a user selection indicating a user'"'"'s selection of services to be provisioned;

verifying the user information and device information; and

provisioning the two-way mobile communications device with the user'"'"'s selection of services.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein provisioning the two-way mobile communications device comprises generating notifications relating to terms and conditions associated with a service in the user selection;

forwarding the generated notification to the two-way mobile communications device; and

receiving user acceptance of the terms and conditions.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein provisioning the two-way mobile communications device comprises establishing a secure communications link with a service server providing a service which has been requested in the provisioning request;

and sending a request to the service server requesting registration of the user for the service.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein provisioning the two-way mobile communications device comprises sending activation information required to activate previously stored non-operational applications in the two-way mobile communications device.

30. The method of claim 26, wherein provisioning the two-way mobile communications device comprises sending software modules to the two-way mobile communications device to enable the requested services.

31. The method of claim 26, wherein the provisioning server is connected to a landnet and the proxy server bridges communications between the landnet and an airnet to which the two-way mobile communications device is connected.

32. The method of claim 26, wherein the user selection further comprises the user'"'"'s selection of features of the two-way mobile communications device the user wishes activated.

33. A method for provisioning a two-way mobile communications device, the method comprising:

receiving a provisioning request from the two-way mobile communications device;

mutually authenticating the two-way mobile communications device and a provisioning server; and

forwarding the provisioning request to the provisioning server only if the mutual authentication was successful;

wherein the receiving, the mutual authenticating, and the forwarding is performed by a proxy server which bridges communications between a first communications network and a second communications network.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the first communications network is an airnet;

and the second communications network is a wide area communications network.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein receiving the provisioning request is via the airnet and forwarding the provisioning request is via the wide area communications network.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the proxy server exchanges information between the two-way mobile communication device and the provisioning server via mutually exclusive secure communications sessions with the two-way mobile communications device and the provisioning server, respectively.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the proxy server and the provisioning server are included in a single server device.

38. A proxy server comprising a processor and a memory coupled thereto, the memory storing instructions which when executed by the processor cause the processor to perform a method comprising:

receiving a provisioning request from a two-way mobile communications device;

mutually authenticating the two-way mobile communications device and a provisioning server; and

forwarding the provisioning request to the provisioning server only if the mutual authentication was successful.

39. The proxy server of claim 38, wherein the proxy server bridges communications between a first communications network and a second communications network.

40. The proxy server of claim 39, wherein the first communications network is an airnet;

and the second communications network is a wide area communications network.

41. The proxy server of claim 40, wherein receiving the provisioning request is via the airnet;

and forwarding the provisioning request is via the wide area communications network.

42. The proxy server of claim 41, which operates to exchange information between the two-way mobile communications device and the provisioning server via mutually exclusive secure communications sessions with the two-way mobile communications device and the provisioning server, respectively.